


Myosotis

by BunHun



Category: Hollow Knight (Video Game)
Genre: A bunch of headcanons, Hornet will never admit she's one, I'M FINALLY DONE FOR REAL THIS TIME!, IDK what I'm doing with my life anymore, MANIAC LAUGHTER INTENSIFIES!!!!, Mention of other characters not essentially tagged, Other, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, Should I tag one-sided QuirrelGhost?, Some buggos are shippers, Sooner or later this will get a bit spicy but not a lot so no warnings, This still succs but I tried my best!, This was meant to be a oneshot and everything went wrong, f8 me m8y, i'm going down with this ship, one-sided QuirrelGhost
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-02-03
Updated: 2019-09-23
Packaged: 2019-10-21 08:58:41
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 15
Words: 33,017
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17639738
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/BunHun/pseuds/BunHun
Summary: Typical love story: two nerds meet, fall for each other, and can’t be together because one was doomed to be a sacrifice for a goddess from the start.(AKA: buggos being a total wreck and suffering constantly).





	1. First meetings

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Yogurt_Tea](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Yogurt_Tea/gifts).



> So, I might be taking it a little rushed, but it was as I originally intended it to be a oneshot and everything went out of control 'v')"

He took a deep breath of fresh air and soon exhaled it; the sight of the Blue lake always took his breath away with its stunning cyan colours; through its simplicity Quirrel found its beauty. _Ah, one of the Hallownest's much wonders_ , he thought.

          One of the reasons for him deciding to study under Monomon was to get a better understanding of these mysteries of life that so attracted him, and, the more he learnt, the more amazed he felt; Hallownest had never failed to surprise him.

          And talking about surprises and of the unexpected, he could see a silhouette at the other side of Blue Lake. Whom might this be? The pill bug drew his nail if the meeting were to go wrong. Blurred whites were the most he could see, they were most likely tall, yes, and they had big antlers; but, in the blink, they were already gone.

          Quirrel rubbed his eyes, maybe being too long on the teacher's archives, surrounded by the deadly acids and fumes, had done him bad and he had begun to hallucinate. But it had felt so real...

          Another mystery of this picturesque kingdom, he deemed.

...

"My fine lady, though I respect your choice, and I’m not to complain, are you certain about this decision?", he asked, looking up at the teacher, admiring her beauty.

          She simply nodded without saying a word as she fixed the veil that covered the upper part of her body, then, she proceeded to make a gesture for the other to follow after picking up the paperwork of her lumafly’s investigation, it looked… distinctly thicker of what her pupil remember, but he won’t enquiry, she had been rather busy these last days, so it was easy to make a fat guess.

          Without any more questioning, Quirrel complied her orders, _Monomon knew best_.

          They waltzed out the archives and made their way to their destination; the teacher directed her gaze towards the small bug from time to time, her heart full of glee as she watched the excitement and wonder on the small pill bug's eyes, he was just as a child. She was glad to have met him.

          And, too, Quirrel was grateful to his lady, from taking him in as student and allow him to bathe on her knowledge, to the intimate bond they have developed which could almost compare of that of mother and child.

          His cheeks grew red at the reminiscence of long ago: he had called the teacher mom by mistake, so relieved he was when she just giggled it off, though, he could swear it almost looked like if she had liked the nickname... still, the situation had been way too embarrassing for him, he’d mentally change the subject.

          "Lady Monomon?", he sang happily. "Are we there yet by any chance?", he asked her while she helped him to move from one platform to another; it was not he couldn't by himself, he was more than able to do so, but the teacher had insisted: Quirrel was too precious for her, and, what kind of mentor would she be if she let her student injure himself even by accident? _Better safe than sorry._

          Monomon giggled, glee on her eyes, and a small pinch of mischief on her sight, Quirrel gulped.

          "Milady?"

          Her joy grew when, taking Quirrel by the arms with her tentacles, she swirled him few times mid-air, regardless the situation they were living, there was no reason to don’t enjoy such uncommon tranquillity every now and then.

          "Teacher!", he gasped in surprise.

          Monomon put him down with a gentle pat at the top of his head and a giggle, Quirrel’s legs struggling to keep him standing as his head felt light and still spinning, despite her teacher status and assumptions others could make, she was rather playful sometimes.

          After noticing her student’s unfruitful efforts, Monomon offered her tentacle to Quirrel, which he accepted gladly. The teacher guided him towards the white palace: the most exquisite architecture stood there, all in shades of white and black, going through various scales of grey; every detail carefully made to please the gods that resided within: The Wyrm and the White lady themselves.

          Quirrel couldn't help but feel anxious to be at the presence of such high beings; Monomon, knowing this, squeezed his hand and gave him a reassuring look.

          "You will be fine", she said tranquil.

          Quirrel nodded, he trusted his teacher.

          Not long passed when two bugs arrived: one was short, a crown of thorny protuberances at his head and clothes dragging behind, the Pale King; and, next to him, a tall, familiar silhouette stood: they had long antlers with three rows of spikes, dressed in long cape and white armour, the prince walked by their father's side.

           Quirrel rushed to greet with a bow at the presence of the royals along Monomon, but she in a more collected way, as the teacher already was familiar with these formalities had been under the king’s service for so long.   

          They greeted back, and with only a look Monomon could tell the king wanted to talk to her... on private, most likely, as his gaze aimed only to her as the servants opened heavy doors for him.

          "Await here", she barely whispered patting Quirrel’s head before following the Wyrm, leaving him alone with the prince.

          They were rather intimidating with their tall height, but so was them stunning with their faint frame and perfectly crafted body. Now, do not think ill of the pill bug, as he meant no bad intentions, but he was rather the curious type who liked to the see beauty on everything his eyes laid upon.

          The taller bug stared at him, they had most likely noticed how Quirrel had been staring at them, the pill bug immediately made his apologies, “Pardon my disrespect, highness!”, he rushed to bow.

          But he still could feel the prince's hollow stare piercing through the back of his head. Or, perhaps, was it just his nerves? The pill bug looked again at the other's direction to make sure and met with pitch black eyes and a snout almost poking his face, only few inches away.

          Quirrel's heart stopped for a second, the prince was arching their back to be at his same eye level, they looked almost… _curious_ , (or so the student would have assumed).

          "Huh... H-Hello there!", he greeted in an upbeat tone and yet awkwardly with a wave of the hand, stepping back slightly to keep some personal space.

          To his luck — not necessarily good — the taller stepped forth, Quirrel screamed inside.

          "Right...", his mind wandered to different places for his next move in question of fractions of seconds.

          What had he been thinking?! _“Hello there”?!_ That was no way to greet someone with their rank! What would he do now? _"I'm Quirrel! Nice to meet you, highness!",_ _Was it even alright to make such a casual approach?!_

          _Nope._

          He’d go with something a bit more… suitable for someone at majesty’s position.

           “I’m Quirrel”, he said finally, now, with more confidence on his voice and, even, optimistically. “I might be nothing but a mere student”, he knelt in one leg, “but I shall be at your service, my prince!”, he bowed solemnly with a wide smile.  

           He heard the other say nothing, _he had completely messed up, right?_ Quirrel looked up, getting a glimpse of the prince's eyes widening.

           _Of course, he had messed up!_

           Straightening back up almost immediately, he thought that maybe it would be better to offer a decent apology to his earlier behaviour.

           “Please pardon my impudence, highness!”, and now he was talking loudly, _just great_. Ashamed, he held both his hands in front of him, nervously playing with his fingers. “It’s the first time I-…”

           The prince was tilting his head, staring at him, or rather, at his hands, and how he anxiously rubbed and squeezed his own thumbs.  

           _Damnit, he was doomed for real._

           He immediately stopped after noticing the royal’s gaze, but then the unexpected happened, they tugged at one of his arms gently.

           With their hand on his, they squeezed it a little with their fingers in an alike fashion of how Quirrel had previously been pressing his own digits against his hide, they gained a bright blush and a quiet squeak out of the pill bug.

           Quirrel haven squeaked, did it as quiet as he managed to, biting it back in attempt to not startle the prince nor to call even more the attention, but was of no use, their sight was now directed straight to him.

           They squeezed again, only rougher this time. It was not hurtful at all, but the pill bug yelped all the same. 

           And when he thought he could not be more embarrassed, the door where his mentor left to opened; Monomon coming back with the update of her investigation on the lumaflies at hand (or rather, _tentacle_ ), followed by the king.

           "Quirrel?"

           The student jolted, his abrupt movement making the prince immediately let go of him. She had been rather quick, but it was welcomed as he feared making a fool of himself further.

           "Lady Monomon!", he beamed, thankful of her interruption.

           "Time to go back, dear", she took him by the hand before making a reverence to the two royals as farewell.

           The vessel closed his eyes and tilted their head as a pseudo-bow just as their parent did.

           Quirrel seemed distracted, so the teacher nudged him gently on the side.

           "Right!", he rapidly bowed in not so gracious manner.

           The prince's eyes, through almost imperceptible, squinted a little, as if smiling. Quirrel’s cheeks gained anew a rosy tint in embarrassment before he straightened up again.

           The teacher patted her side for her student to follow; he did, but as the student walked next to his mentor he looked back at the prince, they had barely extended their hand but immediately put it back down, as if trying to say something else before they left? But the pill bug discarded the thought when the vessel walked at the opposite direction than them, following their parent.  

…

           "Lady Monomon? Why would you take me with you at such a quick meeting?", he finally asked the question that had plagued his mind all day long.

           _He shouldn’t know just yet,_ but it would help as a brief introduction for him to the investigation.

           "Do you remember few days ago when you told me that you had seen a tall figure at Blue lake?"

           "Yes", Quirrel nodded. He couldn’t have hidden it from his mentor, she had been around longer and there was a probability she knew what he had found.

           "I assumed you would like to meet them".

           Quirrel opened his eyes widely, the realization of the matching figures just now. "No way!", he gasped.

           "Yes way", she said trying her best to mimic her student’s unceremonious reaction.

           The pill bug blushed slightly in embarrassment, _had he really sounded like that?_

           Monomon continued, "Besides, you do tend to overwork yourself until exhaustion, for an infinitesimal leave of absence would do you wonders".

           "Well, it certainly was an opportunity unique in a lifetime to get to see such perfect craft with my own eyes!", he exclaimed cheerfully.

            A rather mischievous idea popped into the teacher’s mind, not only would it be to refer the fine work of science the vessel was, but to jokingly address how she had found out her student, it was no more but a little prank between friends after all.

         "Are we talking about the architecture, or the prince?", she asked in mocking tone to relieve the tension probably only she was feeling.

           Quirrel gasped in surprise, his cheeks burning red, "Lady Monomon!"

           The teacher laughed.


	2. Friends

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Have some buggos bonding :3c

Quite some time had passed since his —first and, probably, last— visit to the white palace; he didn't think much about it anymore, there were other things to be done and research wouldn't make itself after all.

           He placed his notes aside, he liked to monitor the Blue Lake's water level: partially because the tranquil atmosphere of the Resting grounds and the lake's own beauty, and, partly, too, because he was concerned of its repercussions on the city bellow.

           Anyhow, rarely ever any bug crossed the lake, not even the infection would spread due to its lack of constant population, making it a perfect place to take a break.

           The pill bug sighed and reached for his transcriptions with his sight still firm on the body of water, he jolted when his hand met with a foreign yet familiar smooth texture; he turned with nail tightly on his grip and surprised he was once his eyes met with hollow ones. Quirrel immediately drew aside the nail.

           “Prince!”, he blushed in embarrassment before springing up and bowing, “I’m sorry, I got startled and-…!”.

           Quirrel, then, noticed the taller bug’s sight was fixed into his notes, he wasn’t sure as they remained ever stoic, but, maybe, they were curious just as they had been back when they first met. The student decided he didn’t lose anything by simply asking.

          “Are you interested, highness?”.

           They nodded, still not parting their gaze from the notes.

           The pill bug couldn’t help but smile sheepishly, his little heart was so full of glee, he didn’t often get to share his research with other bugs (who were not Monomon), even less with royalty! Not losing any more time, he eagerly took seat across the prince.

           “I’ve been researching the connection between Blue Lake and City of Tears”, he started.

           Quirrel explained to the prince what he had found out thus far with generous detail, being highly expressive about the subject he so loved; the vessel stared at his every movement carefully: how the pill bug’s eyes widened, each exaggerated gesture he made with his hands, the changes at the volume of his voice…

           The prince found intriguing how this individual before them was so different to the others they had met before: he was full of beautiful colours, much as the lake they were in; he was not ruled for etiquette, he expressed eagerly himself, what was on his mind, what was he thinking, no one told him to conceal these ideas nor feelings, they came out raw, no filter… He was so full of energy and the vessel could already tell it even when just meeting him recently, all his being was rather refreshing to the dull, plain, life they had grown in.  

           “Oh, lord…”.

           The pure vessel tilted his head to a side, looking straight to Quirrel’s eyes, inquiring why would he stop talking.

           “I should go back to my lady’s side”, he bowed respectfully. “Thanks you for hearing this student’s rambling, highness!”, he exclaimed with such a great joy.

           They bowed back with closed eyes, Quirrel could almost tell it was a “ _no problem_ ” gesture.

           “Safe travel, my prince”, he bowed once more.

           After biding them farewell, the pill bug turned around to take his leave, looking through the corner of his eye how the prince stood up and quickly left; he couldn’t help but smile all his way back to the teacher’s archives, where he found Monomon working late.

            “Quirrel, you arrive behind time”, the teacher rushed up to him. “Is something of the matter? Are you alright?”, her tentacles wrapped over his shoulders.

           “I assure you I’m fine, lady Monomon”, the pill bug said with a bigger, reassuring, smile, his sight ever so slightly drifting curiously to her investigation, “Ma’am, may I ask if could I be of help in your current work to fill for my fault?”.

           She patted the top of Quirrel’s head gently, “My dearest student, you must be fatigued from had spent outside the whole day, you shall be of greater help after had taken a well-deserved respite”, her tentacle slid down to under his chin.

           Quirrel’s only reply was to take her limb into his hand and to his mouth to kiss it out of respect and devotion; his eyes still into hers, admiring his mentor’s splendour as hers seemed to trail all over his, probably in search of an alarming orange…  

           “Goodnight, milady”, he said before making his leave.

           _They could not wish for good dreams_ _as these would only bring dread._

           As his lady had assumed, he was tired. His legs felt weary from running all the way here the fastest he could, but his increased heart rate had begun long before that; most likely out of content, and, yet, he found himself unable to sleep as his mind kept on founding enquiries all around the mysterious bug he had met earlier today until the sole question came to be: _would he meet the prince ever again?_

           Not long it took for his enquiry to be answered, as if it had reached the ears of a higher being, almost by fate, he had decided to go back to the Blue Lake under the orders of his lady to take a time for himself.

           Shortly, afterwards sitting by the body of water, a ghostly apparition was reflected on the lake’s surface.

           “Ah, highness!”, he turned his head to see them, greeting the prince with a wide smile. “Fancy meeting you here!”, Quirrel moved aside to allow them to sit by the lake, next to him.

           With a flop of their cape, the prince took seat at Quirrel’s side, though the gap was now more distant of when they formally met, it was still a close one.

           And that’s how it begun.  

           The days passed, and bit by bit these small meetings at the Blue Lake began to turn into their own little thing; briefly or not, it was certain they would see.

           Without noticing it, a bond between the pill bug and the prince began to form; and, although Quirrel liked his work, he couldn’t deny he yearned for the royal’s companionship likewise; he could not wait for the moment they would see again, always greeting him with a smile.

            “Hey there, friend!”.

            Quirrel greeted him one day, smile as bright as ever and so his cheerfulness and energetic waving, but what was wrong was how the prince seemed taken back as they opened widely their eyes and stared at him with a look of surprise.

            Just then Quirrel noticed he had messed up and his cheeks flared a dark shade alike to the colour of blood as his smile dropped.  

            He immediately covered his face in shame, “Ah-ah… S-so sorry, highness, I shouldn’t have assumed-…”

            But before he could finish his apologize, he felt a poke at the back of his hands and a weight on his shoulders.

            Parting slightly few of his fingers that laid over his eyes, he could see the prince right in front him, poking him with their snout and the weight over his shoulders being their hands. It had been quite a while since last time the royal had tried to be this close, the pill bug couldn’t help but blush a darker shade.

            They nudged his hands gently with their snout, they seemed rather inquisitive, or so the pill bug thought; they had been spending quite a lot of time together, and the more it passed, the better it appeared he could read these hollowed stares of theirs.

            Monomon had always said he had a gift to empathize with other bugs, but the prince was rather a challenge: making him nervous and weak on the knees wherever his gaze met with theirs, or how sometimes he would find them looking at his direction even when he was not talking, but that’s what he had grown to like about them too, they were a mystery that the pill bug wanted to know better.     

            “What’s… wrong?”, he tried, still not fully sure it was what they were asking although — thus far — he had appeared to be correct in all his assumptions of their wordless questions and talks.

            They nodded calmly.

            He laughed out of nerves, “I… I called you in such an informal way, highness. My apologies, so disrespectful…”, he shook his head in disapproval of his own actions.

            They shook their head.

            “ _No_?”   

            They merely tilted their head now.

            “Why… do I think so?”

            They nodded again.

            “Hah… Well, I called you friend. It’s such a casual a-…”.

            And they were tilting their head again as soon he mentioned the word “ _friend_ ”. 

            “Are we friends?”

            They tilted their head to the other side, though it looked more like they had merely left it drop as it was in such a quick but lazy manner.

            “Oh! You don’t know what a friend is!”

            They nodded eagerly as to say he had hit the nail on the head and made a gesture Quirrel himself did when he wanted to recapitulate. Internally, the pill bug giggled, finding funny the prince had started to copy his expressions.

            “Well… A _friend_ is someone, usually not related to you, that you share a mutual bond of…”, he blushed brighter for a reason he could not quite explain. “… of affection…”. He laughed nervously, “Y-you know! Someone who cares deeply for you?”.

           Waiting for a response, the pill bug played nervously with his fingers such as he had done when he and the prince had first officially met at the white palace, and just as back then, the prince stared at his every movement.

           But their response did was different this time, they nodded as they neared, rubbing their cheek against Quirrel’s as they placed a hand over his knee, it almost felt as some sort of reassurance. 

           The pill bug giggled, “What are you doing?”.

           Their sole response was to keep nodding, the meaning of the vessel’s actions struck him like a transit stag going at full speed.

           Quirrel gasped to his realization. “Are we friends?!”

           He could see them squinting their eyes a little as to smile at him and Quirrel’s heart skipped a beat in excitement, it was always great to have a new friend! And even so much more when such dark times befell upon the kingdom that they lived in.  

           Quirrel could have hugged with their friend right there and then, when another realization came to the pill bug’s mind. “Wait a moment! Does this mean I’m your first friend?!”.

           The prince, still (most likely) smiling, raised his shoulders slightly few times, not as an actual shrug, but rather as a spasm of a mute laughter. Later, they stick out their proboscis, one so pitch-black as their own hide, a gesture Quirrel thought that perhaps they were calling him silly.

           Quirrel laughed at them, having no idea where they would had possibly picked that from as the vessel seemed to mimic few odd behaviours they saw; he couldn’t imagine someone at the white palace doing so, his laughter growing louder at the thought.   

           Both bugs continued to laugh — mute and not-so-quietly — until they had to part ways again for the day.    


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Some bugs being a wreck

Time continued to pass, and the duo grew inseparable; there were days where they would dedicate to only enjoy the company of each other and admire the beauty of the large body of water before them or where the pill bug would talk about anything that was on his mind, either a good story about the folk of their hometown such as an slug fast asleep at the bottom of a lake, their history, or random interesting science facts such as difference between soul and crystals. The prince would listen carefully through it all, captivated by how many things their colourful fellow knew.

            “The crystal ore is said to contain a sort of energy, not as powerful as the soul the city dwellers harnessed but…”

           He stopped by a blinding white light.

           “What was that?!”, the pill bug jolted in surprise.

           The vessel only stared at it with a shinning dagger in hand, slightly nearing it towards Quirrel.

           “Th-that’s made o-of soul?”

           His friend nodded calmly, nothing new for them, but it was for the pill bug. Curious, Quirrel decided to poke it, but it vanished quickly into small silvery light particles.

           “M-my friend…”.

           The royal’s heart began to rush, had they upset him in any way? Would he think it was odd as bugs as himself couldn’t use it? Would he think it was bad due to what happened at Soul Sanctum and its inhabitants?

           “You’re truly a marvel!”, he laughed, “But of course I should had foreseen it, coming from the offspring of higher beings! Silly me, isn’t it?”.

           Both laughed almost in synchronization.

           Now, don’t think that as the prince seemed unable to talk, it would meant they could not they couldn’t do something they enjoyed, as the noble was more a bug of action than one of words and, in some days, they would teach the student few techniques with the nail, detail the student so loved as the royal shared a bit of themselves with him.

           Nails clashed against each other with a blink of light, regardless being more prepared, the pill bug was still able to give quite a fight, being fast on his feet and knowing how to block a hit or two, but the vessel could see right through his technique, waiting patiently for a right moment to strike, but perhaps was it his own flaw to take much time. With a swing they made his companion back off, and with a following one, they shook him off balance.

           Quirrel fell to the floor, a rush of cold going through him as the longer nail was stabbed into the soil and through his characteristic blue bandanna, barely brushing by the side of his skull.

           The vessel knelt before him and held both the pill bug’s hands before pulling him up into a sitting position, the gap between the two had grown even closer, a rosy tint bloomed at Quirrel’s cheeks.

            The prince seemed to have noticed, as their head tilted to a side just afterwards the student felt his blood rushing to his face.

           Their hand cupped one of his cheeks as they leaned closer; merely inches away now from Quirrel’s hide, they took their other hand to the pill bug’s formally free cheek. When their fingertip met a small gap with pouring liquid substance, Quirrel felt a sharp pain and winced.

            The taller bug immediately took both hands back to themselves, holding them tight to their chest and away from Quirrel; they seemed startled, so the pill bug pressured to reassure them with a chuckle.

           “Worry not, my friend! I assure you this is nothing but a mere scratch!”, but his always cheerful tone and smile was not enough to convince the prince.

           For some reason they couldn’t quite explain, seeing Quirrel hurt pained them as well, and if they were unharmed and yet aching, they feared the poor blue bug would be having much a worst time.

           What to do? Usually when they hurt themselves only a focus would do, but Quirrel could not use soul to heal themselves! He was not a warrior like their fellow knights, but a soft little bug! Would he die?!  

           Judging by their unusually blank stare, the pill bug decided to make a question. “Are you really that anxious, friend?”.

           The vessel nodded, faster perhaps of the commonly healthy.

           “Easy there, big guy”, Quirrel said grabbing them by both shoulders and looking right into their eyes with a smile. “I’m fine as it can be”.

           They shook their head in the same rapid way they had done before, only stopping when Quirrel moved a hand from their shoulder to their cheek. They froze totally. 

           “If you are that worried, I can head back to the archives and disinfect the scratch. Would that be of help?”

           Suddenly they seemed worse than previously; still stiff, but their eyes widening the pill bug could tell they hadn’t been the best choice of words. Quirrel let go of the prince’s cheek and facepalmed himself with a quiet tsk. _WAY_ to go there and mess up.

           “To cleanse the wound, highness. Pardon my poor choice of words”.

           As reply, they nodded again, more tranquil this time now they recognized what the pill bug meant, placing their hand above Quirrel’s one which still made contact with them.

           The student stood up and turned around to head at Fog Canyon. “I would recommend you head b-…”.

           He tried to suggest his companion about going back to the palace, he wished not to hog more of the prince’s time, but they seemed to have another thing in mind, as Quirrel was not expecting the vessel would be doing the same as him.

           “Are you coming with me?”.

           Once more they nodded, grabbing the student’s hand and squeezing it tight while raising their arm with nail tight on their grasp, a determined look on their eyes, as if telling the pill bug they would protect him in the travel.

           Quirrel laughed. At heart, it was rather flattering to have all this attention. “Very well. If you insist, who am I to stop you?”.

           Fast, they arrived at their destination. The vessel didn’t ever wander that far from the palace, in fact, before meeting the pill bug they rarely ever went off from home, so looking at all these colours and small creatures inhabiting the Fog Canyon was quite a rare sight. 

           What a curious place, with bubbles with nothing but air all around, breaking when they barely poked them with a pop.

           The creatures that floated around… At first, they had thought they contained the infection inside, as there was an orange core within them, the vessel instinctively drew their nail and…

           “Prince, wait!”. Quirrel was barely able to stop them before the vessel hit the ooma with their nail, “Ah, thanks the odds!”, he sighed in relief, but as his muscles relaxed, he wasn’t counting with the fact that the prince would be resting all the weight of their arm on the student’s grasp.

           The tip of the royal’s nail barely poked the jelly, but it was enough to sent it flying only to later comeback at top speed at the pair to explode in multiple orange and yellow lights plus the black particles of the vessel’s void.

            When the blast died down, inside, the prince felt like they had been slammed by one of Hegemol’s heavy swings of mace, but externally they only blinked, still trying to process what happened.  

            Once their sight was fixed, they immediately began to panic as there was only a small blue ball where Quirrel had been standing, had the explosion reduced their friend to this?!

           Hesitantly they knocked at it, maybe he was in there?

            It uncurled, revealing Quirrel to the knight’s surprise, they had never seen a bug do such a thing! How could he had turned so suddenly into a small ball?!

           Quirrel immediately noticed the horror on his friend’s look but couldn’t help but giggle at them, their face, along its clothes, had been all charred.

           The vessel didn’t seem to get it until the student removed his bandanna and walked up to them.

           The bandanna's fabric was soft and smelled like the pill bug, plus, as said bug pressed it gently against their skull and moved it around their face the vessel somewhat felt at peace, feeling which manifested as a low vibration quiet enough that only could they hear, but Quirrel could feel as well.

            “Well, that’s certainly new!”, he chuckled as their purring tickled his hand.

            Soon, Quirrel finished dusting off the vessel’s face. “All done, big guy”, he said taking his hand back to his side.

            The vessel had been too focused into leaning closer they lose balance and fell face-down against the floor.

            “Are you alright?!”, the student rushed to aid them back up, “Pff…!”, getting the surprise that grass had stuck into the prince’s eye sockets.

            They shook off the dirt and although some of it had fallen deeper into their skull, they minded not as it was rewarding to hear Quirrel’s laugh.

            “My prince, at this pace you will need the first aid kit more than me”, said his friend once his laughter died off, but still with a leftover smile.

            They shook their head and poked at Quirrel’s cheek as to say to cure his sole scratch was more important.

            Quirrel smiled wider at them, knowing they could not win a fight against the prince, and — before continuing to walk — said “Let’s go, my friend. The archives are close”.

            Barely few steps away, another ooma floated down to their reach, and before the prince could try to slay another poor jelly, the student stepped ford.

            “Not again, please!”

            They stopped just in time, Quirrel turned to them.

            “My prince, these creatures are not infected.”, he paused to move the vessel’s arm down himself, “They are named ooma and are passive unless they are harmed. If so, their gelatinous body will burst when hit and their core will explode. Avoid all contact with them and we should be alright.”, he took his hand and parted from their gaze to see the jelly float away, “Besides, aren’t they magnificent to contemplate?”.

            They stared at the creature, mimicking Quirrel. He was certainly right.

            Mainly the vessel dedicated to see the oomas and uomas on their way to the archives, how they jiggled around was quite peculiar to the knight and even more so how many electric creatures roamed around the Fog Canyon.

           Though beautiful, it looked like a dangerous place too. Not to mention there was the problem about the acidic waters as well. Have they really considered Quirrel so harmless when he had to go through this every day such as themselves had pass by these halls full of hardships?

           They looked again at Quirrel and how he swiftly moved around with no problem at all, what a unique fellow…

           In no time they arrived at the archives, a building build above a lake of acid. Many times, the vessel had heard of the place and even had seen Monomon themselves but had never truly visited.

           Cylindrical glass containers with boiling acidic water was about everywhere, filling up the dark building with their calming greenish light along lumafly’s blue one.

           “Prince, I shall kindly ask you to stay where you stand Uumuu is not particularly found of strangers”.

           They nodded and sat down to reassure Quirrel they won’t move an inch.

           He giggled. “Shortly I’ll be back, my friend. Please await”, said he before turning and leaving the vessel by their lonesome.

           But the vessel began to feel the time pass too quick, could something had happened to Quirrel? The knight stood up and rushed where their friend had left to.

           Careful to don’t fall on the water, they pushed onward. Lumafly lamps lighted up the halls and guided their way down until they arrived at a relatively open chamber.

           Even more surprised they were to know how many platforms were suspended beyond, there were only two safe points in the very bottom, everything else being acid water. What could it be here? How did Quirrel ever was able to go through all these?

          When they landed into the nethermost stands, the water underneath began to shake, splashing the acid around, splashing at their ankles.

          They took their nail firmly and prepared to fight whatever lured into the water, if it had harmed Quirrel in any way, it won’t have any mercy from them.

          A leviathan jelly raised from the acid with a screech, it resembled much one of these creatures from outdoors, a uoma, but much bigger.

         The knight was ready to launch and hit the over-sized jelly, but he remembered what Quirrel had told them about how oomas would explode when hit. And if it was an ooma rather than a uoma?

          “Uumuu!”.

          The vessel jolted and so did the jelly at a voice familiar to both.

          “Uumuu, stop right on this instant or else I’m telling Monomon!”

          And so, the jelly leviathan went back from where it came, the depths of the acid pool.

           With a sight, Quirrel arrived. “What are you doing down here, my friend?”

           The vessel lowered their head in shame, he indeed had told them to wait for him above.

           “Oh! No, please excuse me. I’m not mad, I can assure you”, they looked down by coincidence, finding the droplets of acid on the floor. “Only worried for your wellbeing, highness…”. He knelt before them. “My prince, would you mind if I took a look? It appears acid might had splashed over you”.

           The vessel mimicked him, sitting in an alike fashion than him, not having any hint what he meant, but trusting him enough to know whatever he was to do, it would be alright.

           Quirrel was impressed there seemed nothing out of common with the vessel, they presented no burnt whatsoever at the very least…

           Before he could say anything, the prince gently poked under the pill bug’s wound with their snout.

          “Right, it was what brought us here in first place”, he said calmly with a smile.

          He was about to put on a gauze himself over the wound but felt a weak tug at his arm. Noticing the prince was staring at him with these dreamy hollow eyes of theirs with their hand holding his own, he tilted their head in confusion, but understood when they brushed the fingers of their other hand against the piece of cloth as to requesting to take it.

          “You… want to put it on for me?”

          They nodded and Quirrel blushed brightly, feeling nervous to say the very least, but later did he come to the conclusion they were doing nothing wrong at all.

          “Very well…”, he handed the gauze to them. “It’s simply like a patch, not much science on-…”.

          The arm previously holding in place Quirrel’s now slid down to its end, leading it to his own leg and once his hand was over it, their hand rested over his, their fingertips casually curling underneath the student’s palm, giving him a weak squeeze.

          They leaned slightly closer to, with precision, put the gauze right over the wound. Once done, the royal ever so slightly bowed bellow the students’ eye level and stared at him with a soft gaze, they seemed rather apologetic.

            Quirrel chuckled and patted the vessel between the antlers, “You have done so well, my friend. Surely I will forgive you!”.

           Another giggle escaped him when the prince leaned into the touch, jerking his hand with a little headbutt and nudging with their snout his arm as they purred louder than the last time.  

           How delightful was it for the knight to be at the pill bug’s side. If it was either or not alright for them to press forwards and rest at their friend’s lap, they didn’t know; in fact, there were many things they had no regard of, but they could recognize once they did the sensation was rather pleasant, even more so as Quirrel seemed to mind not.

           The student stroked carefully along the vessel’s top of the head, making them look up, their gaze meeting with his. Quirrel could see the content of his companion and so something else as they approached him.

           It was almost as a trance for the prince, they had ever only seeing other bugs do such a thing, but never had they been interested into trying until now. They found themselves drawn towards the pill bug by an unknown strength they could not understand, yet, neither mind.

           As some force of attraction, Quirrel, too, was pulled to them as his eyes began to close, but their little moment didn’t last long.

           Whether had one of them surplus neared or perhaps their intentions differed in truth, it was hard to tell for sure, nonetheless, the vessel was unquestioning that they have screwed up again after they heard a loud thud.

           Both bugs writhed in pain, holding onto their muzzles. The knight had no idea being hit on the snout would hurt this much, yet, regardless how much pain they could be feeling, they _knew_ it was much worse for poor Quirrel as poor guy was shrieking and the blood spurting out from between the student’s fingers.

           Taking another piece of cloth in hand, the vessel reached for Quirrel, pulling him nearer.  

           “Hmm…?”

           Moving away Quirrel’s hand from his face by holding it into their own, they placed the gauze over the centre, holding it in place themselves.

           Being fair, the bleeding had almost fully stopped by then, but Quirrel couldn’t really bring it up since he considered so sweet the gesture: even when the student thought it had been a fault of his own, the prince was yet eager to help him. All he could do was to smile at his friend.

            The vessel returned the gesture in an almost sheepish manner and squeezed gently his hand afterwards intertwining their fingers on his.

            Flustered, Quirrel turned away almost immediately, letting the prince’s hand drop. They were confused at the sudden reaction, but so relieved there was not as much blood on the pill bug anymore.

            As for Quirrel’s behalf, perhaps it was not the best move and even somewhat impolite, but he feared at the heat of the moment he would be tempted to try something stupid again which would end hurting them both.

            The best course of action — the student thought — would be to remind the prince of the hour of the day, as they were behind due the time they usually parted ways.  

             Clearing his throat, he drew back the royal’s attention from the piece of bloodened clothe, feeling nervous at first as he intended not to be rude, but this would be the best and most prudent choice.  

             “Madam shall be back within the nightfall. I believe you should do likewise, my friend. Keeping your parents on tenterhooks waiting for your arrival doesn’t sound as a wise decision”.

            They jolted at the realization, father had already enough burdens to worry, if they made him concern as well about themselves, he would only be more stressed of what he already was.

           “If you wish, I may take you to the nearest stag station”.

            Regardless the enlightened previous fact, part of them told the vessel to stay with Quirrel a bit longer, but they knew it was wrong. As he had said, the dreamer Monomon would arrive, and, surely, she knew about the strict rules imposed by their father.

           They barely tilted their head down to accept, informing Quirrel they would use his assistance.

           He stood up again. “Just remember to don’t touch anything in our way down, alright?”, he extended his hand towards them, regardless the awkward moment from earlier, both would be safer if he were to guide the way.   

           The vessel rushed to take the student’s hand and nodded, it felt so warm compared to theirs. the simple touch made them purr quietly.

            With no more delay the duo left, only one way down the canyon it took to reach the station, the prince was amazed to see even this late it still beamed with life.

           Quirrel let go of their hand and fixed the vessel’s cape to wrap them up further. It must had loosened slightly when with the fight that never was with the jelly.

           “Cover yourself tight, my friend. Temperature do drop when late, and when traveling at such quick speeds only colder will it make you feel”.

            In truth, the cold bother them not, their own hide was by far icier, nevertheless, it didn’t mean they were against the pill bug’s sweet gesture. If only they had a way to thank him for taking the bother of looking after them even after how many times they had messed up today…

            Memories from watching their fellow knights and a certain gesture came afloat; it was not something all of them necessarily did, but… Kindly Isma used it in quite multiple occasions, including when she was deeply thankful to someone.

            The prince lowered to wrap their arms around Quirrel’s torso and brought him closer, holding him into a tight embrace, picking him up slightly.

            Although perhaps too constricted, as the pill bug began to squirm. “F-friend? Cannot breathe!”.

            Jolting the vessel immediately let go of him, Quirrel falling on his knees and taking a deep breath, clutching at his chest as he gasped audibly.  

             Bravo, once again they had found a way to ruin it.

             The vessel stared at him with a look much alike to one they had given before.

             “Oh, no! It’s alright, my friend!”, he sprang up immediately. “Showing such gestures must be feat out of common for someone your status, so please allow me to demonstrate”, said he nearing them.

             They were about to nod when Quirrel took initiative. As they still were bowing to be at a closer height to the student’s, it was easy for him to reach for their neck and wrap his arms around it, shortening the gap between them as the pill bug held them gently.

             Hesitantly — as they feared hurting their friend once more — the vessel placed their arms around Quirrel’s torso, all insecurities washing away as their heart leaped.

             Even though little afterwards the pill bug let go of them, the knight didn’t cease.

             “Huh… friend?”, he paused, seeing them tilt their head. “We should part now”.

             They nodded and let go of him, straightening up although looking down.  

             “See you tomorrow?”, he asked with a small smile, in hopes the question would cheer them up.

             He had guessed right as soon they nodded energetically.  

             With a giggle, Quirrel waved his goodbyes, the vessel mimicking him before both parted ways for today and headed back to their respective residences, a promise to see once more in head.

            As Quirrel that night leaped into bed, he realized he had made a great discovery today: at heart, the prince was a big softie. With a smile, the pill bug drifted to sleep, he couldn’t wait to meet with them again tomorrow.


	4. Lunch

The vessel had been sitting by the lake for quite a while now, patiently waiting for their friend. He had said they would meet yet again today, didn’t he? And although it was still fairly early, they couldn’t help but to have an uneasy sensation, as if something would soon go wrong…

             What if he didn’t come? Sure, he had said it was alright even after they made an utter wreck, but… No. They had known Quirrel for quite some time now, and he won’t let them down.

             But what if…?

             A sharp sensation went through their skull as a voice threatened to surface, thankfully, it was drowned as soon they heard quick steps coming to their direction.

            They turned to see its source, welcoming their friend with a small — almost imperceptible — smile on their eyes; they could feel the weight of their burdens leave their shoulders.

            Quirrel sat down next to them, over his lap, a bundle wrapped into a blue piece of cloth much as the one he used around his head.

            The vessel tilted their head, not having a single idea what it might be nor what could be inside.

           “I brought you lunch!”, exclaimed the pill bug eagerly, handling the vessel what looked like severed pieces of smaller bugs, meatier of what they or Quirrel did.

           At first, they were both curious and confused, the pill bug seemed to notice it, so he talked up as the vessel took a piece of meat in hand and squeezed the bug’s insides out, its entrails spattering on their hand.  Although the chunk felt still warm, it didn’t look at all as if it had been a recent kill.   

          “Worry not, my friend. These little ones are not of the likes of you nor your people, these are but simpler bugs with merely drive for survival”, as to make his point across, he took a small portion and swallowed it. “See? Feel free to have it all for yourself”.

            They tried to imitate him, but the remnants only splattered at the tip of their muzzle.

            “Huh…”

           Previously the pull bug made a suggestion, the vessel left him wordless; they took the smashed piece of meat into their eye socket. Quirrel could had sworn to have heard slurping and a gulp.

            Many could have found it unsettling how the taller bug feasted on the chunks, but for the student it was rather intriguing, even entertaining.

           He meticulously stared at them finishing off every piece, even after knowing them for so long, they kept surprising him, not even once had he seen a bug pull such a feat.

            When only few pieces were left, the prince totally stopped, staring straight at Quirrel. Has he had incommoded them?

            Before he could ask, the vessel neared a piece of meat to him.

            “Oh! I’m not hungry, friend. But I appreciate your consternation. Not long it has been since I had my fair share, so I insist you take your respective one, if it’s fine by you, of course”.

            The vessel nodded, understanding the pill bug meant no harm, and just as told, they absorbed the last chunks.

            Their day afterwards went as natural, only that on their way back to the palace, the knight stopped to see a vengefly chasing its prey.

             Even when so many corpses laid around, they would rather have a fresh kill. Or perhaps was it merely its aggressive nature?

            Anyhow, the sly tiktik managed to scurry away from the predator, leaving it no option but to feed into discarded old corpses laying around these paths. It seemed just fine, until its eyes shined in an orange light.

            The creature screeched, but the knight calmly cut it in half when it came into reach. It exploded shortly afterwards.

            Perhaps some bugs preferred carrion over fresh meat? Would it be Quirrel’s case?

…

“Quirrel, darling?”, Monomon called from another room.

            Immediately, said pill bug left what he was doing to attend the teacher’s call. Not long it took the student to find her: he peered into the room seeing his teacher busy with work, he could hear scratching — or a sound of the likes — possibly coming from the entrance of the archives.   

            “Yes, Lady Monomon?”

            “Could you respond the door, please?”

            “Sure, madam”, with a bow he left again.

            As he walked through the halls, the scratching sound grew louder. Quirrel pondered what it might be, it was still early, not even had he nor Monomon taken breakfast.

            “Yes?”, he asked once arriving at the entrance, “Holy-…! “.

             The vessel stared at him blankly, they had been sitting by the entrance to the archives for a while now, scratching at the metal with their nail although carefully to don’t damage it, they just wanted to call Quirrel’s attention, but when he finally came, they felt curious as to why he would be wearing his bandanna differently, or why would he wear a piece of clothe around his waist, it looked dusted and as a real unconventional armour such as the odd stick he was holding, a sword would be a more suitable weapon.

            Quirrel placed the broom aside and removed his apron to don’t stain it with the blood pouring out a vengefly king that lied dead next to the prince.

            “Although I don’t mind the early visit, may I ask why would you bring a corpse along?”, he asked, kneeling to get a closer inspection to the corpse.

            Its entrails were to the naked eye to see, few guts and organs even dangling out the corpse, which the pill bug could not resist to poke and examine. Due to the blood still flowing, Quirrel could tell it had been a fresh kill, probably the prince took it here right after murdering it, perhaps it could have lived a plenty life as it looked like a healthy specimen, well, if it didn’t become infected in a future, of course.

             Noticing Quirrel was giving special attention to the insides of the beast, they took their nail to answer his previous question: the vessel slashed and cut through innards, splashing blood further in the near area. Once done, they handed the viscera to the pill bug with a smile.

            “Hum… Is it a gift?”, he tried to guess, not bothered at all for the bleeding guts on his hands.

            They nodded eagerly, to further contribute, they ripped off with their bare hands a leg from the vengefly king and stuck it into their eye socket much as they had done the day before to “eat” Quirrel’s thoughtful offering. Said pill bug finally arrived at the most plausible conclusion.

             “You brought me breakfast?”.

             The vessel nodded quicker than the last time.

             He giggled and patted the vessel gently in gratitude, “How thoughtful of you, my friend”.

             They leaned closer, purring quietly. Quirrel was happy, they had done a fine job!

             “Would you like to join us at breakfast? You were the one whom brought it after all”.

              At core part of themselves told them to agree, but they knew lady Monomon was most likely still home, and if she were to see them with her disciple…

             They shook their head.

        “Oh. I understand”, the pill bug replied, he sounded… off. Although it was not for long, quickly, his smile returned. “You must have plenty chores to do! It is comprehensible, being the prince of the kingdom must be an arduous work”.

             Their heart skipped a beat, it was a relief to hear their friend understood it. Usually, if they were to upset their parents, father would…

             They snapped out of these memories overflowing their otherwise hollowed skull when they felt Quirrel’s arms wrapping around their leg as he was too small to reach some upper point.

             “Good luck, dearest prince”, he wished upon them with a smile.

             The royal’s heart began to pound quicker, a light, imperceptible blush dusting their cheeks, but it was not that they could be aware other than by the feeling of void rushing up their face.

             “See you later today?”

             The knight nodded before parting.

             Regardless just had seen the pill bug, they could not wait to see him once again that very same day.

             And when they did see later, the time seemed to pass way too fast. If only they could spend the day a little longer with him…

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I wanted to join the "Vessels eat through their eye sockets" joke!


	5. City of Tears

Much as the day before, the prince was sitting at the shore, cross-legged, as if meditating, a blank, unreadable, stare on their face.     

            “Hey, friend!”, Quirrel called out eagerly with a wave as he ran towards the vessel, the smile at his eyes still as wide as the days before.

           The moment the taller bug heard Quirrel’s voice, they sprang up; the pill bug had arrived earlier than usual, even earlier than yesterday, but though it was unexpected, it was welcomed nevertheless; the prince rushed to his side.

           And just as the vessel wasn’t expecting the pill bug to show up this early, Quirrel wasn’t that — as soon the gap between them closed — his hand would be wrapped into the prince’s and soon tugged harshly as the taller bug began to run.

           The pill bug gasped, it had been too sudden. “Prince, wait!”.

           They eyed at Quirrel’s direction, noticing it was difficult for the student to keep up, the vessel placed one arm around his back and another at the bend of his knees, with a swift movement the prince picked him up with ease;  the pill bug answered at the action by yelping in surprise and clinging strongly to the royal’s neck by instinct as he feared the fall, it didn’t help his nerves at all their tightening grip at his legs.

           No matter how many times before he had been this close to the knight, it would always make Quirrel’s cheeks burn with a bright blush, but now he found himself barely able to think clear thanks to these small variables. The raising heat clouded his mind as the steam at Fog Canyon clouded his sight, the pill bug struggled to formulate on his head the simple question of _where the prince would be taking_ him, as his own heartbeat was the only he could hear, pounding rapidly against his shell. But his mouth was doing much a worse the attempt of gesticulate these words.

           A relief it was when his unconventional torture ceased; he must had been too self-conscious about the blood hurriedly pulsing through his veins to put attention to his surroundings. Quirrel’s heart rhythm began to tranquilize with the soft hitting noises of water droplets at the window’s glass, he loved that sound…

           He looked up at the prince as they put him down carefully; the pill bug could swear his heart skipped a beat at the sole sight of the taller bug’s eyes. The noble tilted his head, they had most likely noticed how Quirrel was staring at them.

           “Oh! It’s nothing!”, he reassured friskily with a sweep of the hand, his voice threatening to crack with nerves and only worsening when, before he could put back his hand, the vessel took it into his own and tugged at it gently.

           Quirrel blushed yet again, he feared the prince would feel his rushed heartbeat within his hand, but he would not make the obvious more self-evident, he would opt to comment about the gesture.

           “You wish to go elsewhere?”

           They nodded calmly, eyes closed softly.

           Quirrel smiled, “Let us go, then”, he said cheerful as ever.

           Just as before, the vessel took his hand into their own, leading him through the City of Tears. It was funny how despite studying the lake above, he barely ever came to visit if not under Monomon’s command or if his own nail needed refinement.            

           Perhaps it was due to the Soul Sanctum — regardless him being a scholar too — and the fact the facility had been long shut down, the place gave him the creeps! He had heard many rumours of it being haunted from the bugs around, no one truly dared to see inside, they said bugs usually didn’t made it back.

          Or maybe it was due to the awareness of Lurien watching over the city. He knew the watcher meant no harm, but it made him feel somewhat nervous and even more now being at the prince’s side, as Monomon had told him about the close bond he shared with the king. But… he couldn’t possibly stare solely at them, right? The watcher had a whole citadel to look upon, and it was not as Quirrel and the knight were any more than friends.  

           For a brief moment, the student could almost feel his little heart break, but it was the truth. Nonetheless, he had other things to think about, such as the extreme contrast between social classes.

            On their little tour, the division between the rich and the poor was easily distinguished, Quirrel found it intriguing but so unsettling.

            In the faces of these fortuneless, he could see fear, and clearly knew why: not only did they had to deal with famine and conventional sickness to which they could not afford medication to, but while the sentinels would no sweat protect the wealthy from the infected, it didn’t seem to be such the case for them too.

            Rocking themselves in attempt to keep warmth and a bit of mental sanity, not only they looked like they hadn’t eaten in much time, but they looked sleep deprived as well, murmuring to themselves and slowly drifting to insanity.

            Who could blame them? Defenceless at the middle of the pandemonium.

            “My prince?”

            They turned.

            “Please excuse me for a brief moment”.

          Quirrel freed his hand from the prince’s grasps and rushed to where a poor bug was holding a little metal can to beg for money; he could not stand there and do nothing. Taking any Geo he could have possibly been carrying, he gave it all to the bug.

             When the geo fell to the metal can with a clank, the bug immediately turned up to see Quirrel with a hiss and a lost gaze, small orange lights on its eyes.

           The vessel immediately pulled Quirrel back rather forcefully and drew their nail, but the sentinels, whom now seemed to have long had their sight on the poor bug, disposed of it instead in question of mere seconds.

           One of the guards returned every bit of geo to Quirrel with a simple, “Here, sir”. But he seemed to totally have shut down, dropping the money back to the floor.

            The vessel nodded in gratitude in the pill bug’s behalf — as he still seemed too shaken, it must had been the first time he saw how infection slowly overtook one’s mind — and picking up the geo for him. They leaded them out of the scene the fastest they could, once away, they held him by both shoulders and bowed to his same eye level.

           He sighed and gave him a weak smile, “I’m fine, worry not!”.

           They nuzzled them under the chin, a gesture Quirrel interpreted as asking if he was certain.

           “Yes, I’m sure”, he giggled as their snout tickled against his hide.

            It still felt off to the taller one.  

           They wanted not for their small partner to worry, so the prince showed him around these places which usually would be forbidden for the likes of the scholar, these too exclusive for the commoners and only for the wealthy —after the _“incident”_ , the vessel assumed they would be safer— no one would mind the pill bug, although it was possible they didn’t repair as he was accompanied by royalty.

           All this long and Quirrel still looked dazed but was beginning slowly to calm down again as he found little curious details. He found amazement in the artwork the buildings by themselves where, in how beautifully the melody of songstress Marissa turned one with the rain, or how prettily the red flowers around will bloom with a dim light.

           What astonished the pill bug as well, was how everyone would bow before the prince and look at their direction open-mouthed; being of wealth, he would have expected them to be able to get closer to the royal family of what he could ever do; him, a student: a mere peasant, with nothing to give but their entire loyalty and services…

           They stopped.

           The prince gave a gentle squeeze to his hand, with his attention drawn to them, they stared into each other’s eyes before the taller bug looked at what laid beyond: an interminability of shelves, all of them stocked with texts of all kind.

           A loud squeal drowned the previous silence predominating the room, the vessel immediately looked startled at its source, was Quirrel fine? Had they broken him?!

           Quirrel noticed the vessel’s wide-open eyes and blushed in embarrassment, “O-oh! Excuse me for my loss of composure, highness”.

           He could notice a subtle squint at the prince’s eyes, Quirrel widely smiled back at them, it took his breathe away to see them this way.

           The vessel poked Quirrel’s cheek with their snout to bring him back to reality.

           “Right!”, he giggled and took their hand, tugging it gently as both neared a table. “How about if I read you something? Would you like that, my prince?”.

           The prince nodded quickly, they seemed rather fond of the idea until…

           “Do you want to choose?”

           The question took them by surprise, not even once had someone asked them for their opinion ever since living at the white palace, they would just be told what to do and they would follow with no hesitation.

           For once, they did not know what to do.

           Completely frozen, only were they able to shift their sight from one place to another and nervously tangle their fingers, a behaviour they had copied from Quirrel. A voice at the back of their skull began to surface… 

            _No will…_

           So, of their nerves the pill bug might have noticed, as the spoke up with an advice of guidance. “Choose whichever calls your attention the most, my prince”.

           They nodded slowly, still trying to process still his words from before.      

            “Take your time, day is young and there’s no rush”, Quirrel reassured.

            “ _Choose whichever calls your attention the most”_ , their companion’s words resounded in their skull instead the voice from before.

             _Whichever calls your attention the most…_

           The vessel walked up to one of the shelves and took one of the round tablets in hand, one which colour resembled much that one of the pill bug’s.  

           Shortly, they came back and took seat next to Quirrel whom had moved the chair for them. The prince shyly handed the tablet to him.

           “Ah, nice choice, my friend!”, he praised eagerly. “ _The beauty and the bug_ , it is a classic”.

           They silently stared at him, not having a single idea what he meant, but they knew the pill bug would help them to understand it.

            “Get comfortable”

            They crossed their arms over the table and nested their head into them, purring when Quirrel placed a hand over their back but not so loud to hear him talk.   

            He giggled and began reading, gently petting the vessel’s back in circles with his thumb. In middle of the story, shifting his gaze from every now and then.

            By the time he was done, it hadn’t been long, there was still a whole day to go, and Quirrel bet there were still things the prince wanted to do, but when he stood up to take the small tale back to its shelf, he felt a tug on his arm.

            “Hm?”, he turned.

            The vessel stared at the text tablet and then at Quirrel, as if asking for something, but the pill bug couldn’t quite name what.

            He tried to give it a shot though unsure what to ask, “Do you want me to read… another?”, he finished with a smile, trying to apparent feeling secure.

            The taller bug took a moment, but then finally nodded slowly as they reached for Quirrel’s hand, squeezing it lightly.

            Quirrel couldn’t help but blush as he sat back down with them.

            Beaming a smile at the prince, he bounced a little on his seat in excitement as he turned again to face them. “Shall I read the next tale?”.

             Now with more security, they nodded again, pulling Quirrel closer and gaining another giggle from him.

            Perhaps the prince wanted to see, or so Quirrel thought as they rested now their chin at his shoulder with their gaze directed straight at the writing.

            With a gentle pat to the vessel’s cheek, he began reading again.

            He could not complain about it, expending time with the prince was always great: he loved how they would listen cautiously at every word of his, or how despite their stoic shell they had proved to be rather caring: from merely paying attention, to being concerned when they practiced fencing or even when exploring side to side. He liked it, and very much in fact, but he couldn’t understand why they would bother with a mere subject like him? As in the end of the day, they would always be the prince, and he nothing but a commoner.

           Regardless the short extension of these tales, night drew close and they would have to part, returning to their respective roles; but as soon they stepped out the library, a shriek was heard followed by a cacophony of multiple other ones.

           At the disunion of the wealthy share of the city, and of these whom had not been so fortunate, few dandy bugs were now no more but a mere shell of what they once were; the rich screamed in horror and rushed to protect their geo as the guards did their best to keep the mindless creatures away.

            The smaller wingless guardians were dispatched first and soon the winged ones would follow, these seemed by far stronger than the single infected bug from earlier. Quirrel drew his nail, knowing by now these poor lost souls had no salvation, and the problem should be taken out from root.

           “Back away, my prince!”, though with no position to do so, he requested to the royal, pushing them carefully back into the building.

            But they knew that look on the pill bugs eyes, and so too could recognize his intention. Nonetheless a respectable one, or how they had an unknown newfound feeling for the student’s courage, there was of no need to put him through a situation of the likes nor to put another life at risk, let alone one as important as Quirrel’s.

            The prince easily skipped pass the pill bug and before he could even gasp the knight slayed the infected insects with a graceful swing of their nail, a vermilion splash left behind.

            One still twitched a little still after had been cut in half, but it didn’t last long when the blade went through its head.

           Now, the city was silent once more, except for the falling rain.

           The knight grabbed their sword back, unplugging it from what was left of the carcass, and returned to their companion, looking as tranquil as if nothing had ever happened although their tug at Quirrel’s hand suggested a need to get out from the place.

           He squeezed weakly their hand in return, still shaken from what had just occurred: not was only one bug’s life lost, but several, both with and without infection, and though he had seen death before, never in such a crude manner.

             Like him, these were bugs that had a mind, a family that loved them, dreams and aspirations… And now they were no more after a slow, unavoidable, death. Maybe the prince had done him right by disposing of the problem themselves, they seemed… more used to it.

            The pill bug felt the prince’s gentle touch under his chin, a reassuring nuzzle to his neck just as they had done earlier.  

           “Can we go now?”.

           The vessel nodded with no hesitation. Soon, both took their leave, Quirrel walking close to his knight’s side, an arm protectively curled around his waist.

…

A droplet of water fell at Quirrel’s nose; the body of the lake above fell like rain, yet, he was barely touched by it. They were crossing through a relatively open area which was meant to be in construction of a monument for the prince, it would look beautiful beyond words, the student betted on that; and they couldn’t have chosen a better place than the core of Hallownest’s heart, so magnificent it would be.

          The pill bug turned to see the taller bug, the monument not yet ready and the resemblance was quite striking… Even how the droplets hit against them and they calmly took every little, harmless, blow as they held up their cloak above the student’s head, so he won’t share the same, moisty, fate.

          All they had been through, and yet the prince didn’t fail to protect him.

           Quirrel felt concerned to say the least; he should the one serving the prince, not the other way around! With a shaky hand, he reached for the vessel’s arm, barely brushing his fingers against their hide to call their attention; they stared back at him.

           He stood on his tip toes to try to move the prince’s arm; the vessel tilted their head to a side, not being able to understand the student’s intentions.

           The pill bug blushed ever so slightly, “I appreciate the sweet gesture, my prince; but your own safety is more important than mine”.

           They plainly stared at Quirrel, stonily, not a single sound nor gesticulation…

           Quirrel glanced at the floor and winced discreetly, it ached his little heart these unrequited feelings that had been threatening to show themselves all day long. He was but a mere simple bug, not even able to protect them, common as it can be, just another insect whom had been now long yearning for the forbidden affection of the prince ever since these casual meetings began to turn into a daily basis; always in need to see these hollow, stolid, eyes one more time regardless knowing they would never look at him the same way he did. He had been stupid and naïve to think that perhaps it could work out…

           The pill bug snapped out of these ill thoughts when the skeletal fingers of the prince intertwined between his own. Quirrel looked up at the royal’s way, his eyes meeting with theirs; even under the light of the lumaflies they remained so dark, so deep; though hollow, they seemed so full of mysteries…

           A blush bloomed on the pill bug’s cheeks, “Prince?”.

           His heart stopped when the prince pulled him in, the gap between them tightening and turning inexistent; Quirrel closed his eyes. In middle of the wordless talk, they held one another tight on arms, chests pressed, hearts becoming one, beating at the same rhythm; breathing the other’s air as the prince’s void-generated tongue brushed and curled around the pill bug’s flesh one.

           Regardless the cold rain and the prince’s gelid hide, they only felt each other’s warmth; the agitated respiration hitting their partner’s chest, the vessel’s hands trailing down towards Quirrel’s hips to pull him closer, deepening the kiss. The student could feel his worries from earlier melting away just as himself into the prince’s arms.     

          So surprising it was the effect they have had on his life, but Quirrel had always embraced the little pleasures within the unforeseen; it gave some mystery to the life, but of all the mysteries of Hallownest he had been so attracted to, none was quite as enigmatic as the kingdom’s prince. It should be natural as the heir of a reign so full of unknown wonders where the only one could expect was the unexpected.

           And about the unforeseen… Certainly one of these would be that once they parted, the vessel stared into their beloved’s eyes, a smile on their own which soon faded when they noticed they had broken poor Quirrel again.

           The pill bug had gotten too many emotions for one day and had shut down, his face still coloured with blush but otherwise as pale as the matter covering Howling Cliffs.

           Beginning to panic, the vessel looked nervously everywhere around. They thought it was how bugs showed affection and desire to be with one another! Every time they had seen mother and father do the same feat had they ever see something of the likes to happen.

            Perhaps was it something only higher beings could do? No way, they had seen other bugs such as Ogrim and Isma doing the same!

           Only could the vessel catch a breath afterwards they heard Quirrel’s quiet squeal of overzealousness, his system rebooting, hopefully now he had processed what happened.      

           The vessel giggled partially in both relief and at their nerdy sweetheart, he made the strangest yet cutest noises.

           When the evening came to an end, they had to part and take different ways, but after the events from earlier, the prince refused to go without making sure Quirrel was safe and sound back at the teacher’s archives.

            “Thanks you for sharing yet another day with me, highness”, he said standing by the building’s entrance, fixing his bandanna with a single hand.

           As reply, they nuzzled the top of Quirrel’s head, it had been their pleasure. The pill bug answered back by cupping the vessel’s cheek and gently caressing it with his thumb.

           The vessel closed his eyes and leant into the touch, nuzzling Quirrel’s hand gently; they could not speak words, nor they knew how to express themselves properly; all they had ever learned first-hand — which had not to do with abilities in battle and the ever so rigid regal etiquette — was thanks to the bug in front them and _these of their likeness_ who were not here anymore. They needed the pill bug to know how much they really cared, they didn’t seek to commit _the same mistakes_ of the past.  

          Quirrel smiled, he had most likely got the prince’s message, or so the vessel hoped…

           A quiet voice threatened to surface at the back of the vessel’s head but was soon drowned when the pill bug talked up.

           “Good night, my prince!”, he said cheerfully despite this being a farewell; it was understandable, they would meet again as they always had this long.  

           The royal pecked Quirrel over the mouth; he took his formerly free hand to the prince’s other cheek and returned the gesture which slowly morphed into a kiss when the taller bug rubbed their forehead against their partner’s and eventually led to nuzzling each other’s snout.

           Slow and hesitantly, they parted, both blushing darkly. “See you soon, dear prince”, said Quirrel slowly taking his hand back to his side, barely brushing his digits between the royal’s, knowing that if he were to intertwine his fingers on theirs, it would later be impossible for him to let them go. 

           The vessel stared keenly towards the archive’s entrance and with his snout gently nudged Quirrel to tell him to go.

           Before retreating to his home, he gave a quick peck to the prince on their cheek, leaving them wide-eyed, still surprised — regardless now had been used to training — at the speed the pill bug could move when he so desired.

           On their way back, the prince waltzed easily through the buzz-saws and other hazards of the white palace with less difficulty than ever before, not being able wait to see their sweetheart the next day and the others to come. Little they knew that everything on this world has an end and in one as cruel as this, these small and precious moments last the least; they were still young to fully comprehend it, after all.

           Higher beings stared at them from afar, one with a crown of horns watched proudly his already perfect creation slowly grow to its finest; but the root knew better, she could see it through its hollow eyes, this one had been flawed from the very start; of course, the god’s pride had made him blind, perhaps the cause was beyond help now, all would be in vain if measures were not taken fast.

           But wasn’t her king a fair one? Not even when his big heart that beat only for her would he believe her if not with proof.

           Ah, but if she was accurate on her qualms — which she always was — no time would pass before the truth surfaced.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I repeat: maybe I'm taking it a bit quick, but this was meant to be a short oneshot which clearly it is not. Well, damn.  
> (Thanks for reading <3 )


	6. Chapter 6

Monomon had noticed her student somewhat absent lately, more than usual if so. It was not a bad thing for her, for the pill bug to be away gave her more time to see the results of her own private investigation for the king of Hallownest; but on these few cases where her pupil would stay indoors, she would hear him humming simple tunes and with his head on the clouds. Even though he did not neglect his work, if he were called it would take a time for him to respond.

           It worried the teacher at first, _could he be infected?..._ But he exhibited no change on his dark eyes nor on his usual kind demeanour, it was not until it clicked to her that not everything on this world could be explained in solely science and the most plausible answer to her student’s absenteeism would be…

           She mentally gasped at her realization, could it be?! Quietly, she floated to his side, “And whom should this fortunate bug be, my dear?”, she asked in singing tone.

           Quirrel jolted and screamed at the top of his lungs, abruptly letting go of his writing instruments and scattering them over the floor; his lady had taken him by surprise.

           “Lady Monomon, you gave me a frighten!”, he exclaimed clenching his fist tight into his chest.

           The teacher eyed inquiringly at her student’s notes in search of any hint (she had been a youth too after all), disguising it as helping him to pick up these tablets, but she could see nothing at all until Quirrel rushed to pick up one specific piece which seemed to be a leftover of a previously discarded paper, Monomon’s eyes widened.

           “The prince?”, she was shocked, but more than in surprise, in fear.

           Quirrel blushed brightly but said nothing, instead, he tilted a little his hood in embarrassment, ashamed for have not told his teacher — his best friend — before.

           “I’m so sorry, milady”, he murmured quietly. “I should have told you sooner, I…”.

           She sighed. “It is fine, my dear”, the teacher told him, giving him a gentle pat.

           Monomon would have to admit she felt relief on it as to fight a lost cause was still better than to recur to pray for help of the old light’s although done unconsciously. Empty attempts would give her more time to… _tell him the truth_ at the very least.   

           “But I require you to be aware I will be necessitating of your aid more often around here, infection is creasing while the numbers of our people are not. In our livelihood there is no place for such venality as it is a full-time task to serve our king only”, two of her tentacles wrapped at his shoulders as the remaining around themselves. “Am I clear?”.

           “You are, milady”, he nodded solemnly, with a smile, the tone on his voice cheering up. “I promise to do my best for the kingdom!” 

           She giggled and patted the top of his head, “You are such a sweetie, my dear”.

           Quirrel beamed and proceed to grab his research. “If you excuse me, teacher, I better continue with our work!”.

           Knowingly, she gave him a nod before retreating from the room.

           Her nerves were almost at ease, Quirrel had always been truthful to his words, and it was not like she — now knowing the truth — was to let him go that easily.

          Yet, what the teacher feared the most, was for the experiment had been a failure and the void-crafted life would manage to _feel_ the same way, as it would mean the whole kingdom was at high risk. She had no other option but to tell the king immediately before they were to know through other means.

           But she learned behind time as not long passed for the word to reach the queen and king’s ears. Oh, and what a grave mistake, if it hadn’t been one of the Wyrm’s closest confidants, maybe they would have the benefit of doubt, but it was not the case. The god’s punishment wouldn’t be light.

           “My king, please. If my student were to know the situation he would understand, there is no need to take drastic measures, I have already-…”.

           He said nothing, his decision was final, _to not let Quirrel near the pure vessel nor from Hallownest ever again_ , given as the king gave the teacher the coldest stare she had ever laid her multiple eyes on; one so gelid that froze her very core.

           “Few days is all I ask, until I head to sleep at the very least…”

           The teacher had been of great help thus far, out of gratitude, the king chose to accept, only nodding silently.

           Knowing there was nothing else she could do — as she had already asked too much — she nodded back in agreement and bowed in gratitude. “Thanks, highness”.

           With a sweep of the hand, he compelled the teacher to dispel, she wouldn’t be of much use for the time being _until_ _the day came._ She obeyed with no more hesitation.

           A servant who won’t obey a simple task was of no use for him, so, for the teacher’s own good, he hoped she would fulfill these only two orders he had just given her with no more delay nor _inconveniences_. 

           But for now, all he could do was to play his own part regardless knowing the problem child was not his own but the teacher’s. He was a god and could not be wrong, his craft was perfect, it could have no flaw.

           Nonetheless, it was better to take precautions. Less he desired was for it to be tainted similar the other specimens of its likes. They have already come this far; the old light’s demise was nigh: he won’t allow such a ludicrous disincentive such as feelings interpose his plans.

           It mattered not how many sacrifices he would have to impose into others or even if he had to strip the perfect vessel away from everything it knew, including the palace itself, no cost was too great.

           The Radiance would meet her end.

…  

           Truthful to her words, Monomon started to give more work to Quirrel just as the sovereign put his craft through more rigorous training as _the day_ approached and little by little these meeting which were so usual in the past began to grow scarcer, but it would not stop the vessel nor the pill bug from seeing each other.

            Even after great time lapses, the vessel was amazed that with no constant training Quirrel would be able to retain in shape; in the blink of an eye, he was from one point to another and in no time while they were distracted by how swiftly the pill bug’s movement were, he was already at their back, the taller bug barely being able to turn and block the hit before it struck them.

            Perhaps had it been their own bad timing — or how seeing him after this long made them weak on the knees for reasons they couldn’t quite explain — but the vessel fell back. It should be bad; in battlefield, this would mean death, but…

            They heard Quirrel giggling before he took both their hands and helped him up, “Are you alright there, big guy?”.

           The vessel had almost forgotten how delightful it was for him to hear the pill bug’s voice. No matter if they had heard him earlier that day and had gone through a whole lot of explication for his absence, every time Quirrel talked, they found themselves getting lost into his words. His spark of cheerfulness was the only could fill their hollow life… _Or so it would be until_ … they shook his head.

            “H-holdup, did it really hurt you?!”, he opened his eyes widely in panic.

            The prince jolted, they had missed Quirrel’s question! Soon, they pressured to shake his head and hands right and left in x’s to notify their mistake.

           “Are you sure?!”

           Darn it! His panic seemed to only increase! The vessel hurriedly nodded until getting a little dizzy.

            “Oh…”, he sighed in alleviation. “What a relief, I’d never forgive myself if I were to harm you, my dearest prince".  

           The vessel let out a huff and nuzzled his chest playfully.

           “H-hey, that tickles!”, he giggled and tried to push their snout back, but the vessel was too strong to even budge.

           Both ended up on the floor, the pill bug trying to curl up and shell himself from his sweetheart’s tickling, but was of no use, they had moved down to nuzzle his stomach and was now pinning him down with both hands to cease the squirming.       

           “W-wait!”, he exclaimed between his laughter, tears at his eyes.

          The prince finally stopped but didn’t let go of him just yet. They enjoyed feeling how Quirrel’s chest would move up and down so fast as he panted heavily, not to address the sensation of his heart under their palm triggered a need they couldn’t yet place, one alike to a predatory instinct, but not quite, as they won’t ever dare to hurt him in purpose, something else. But the realization of what this foreign need was could wait for later on.

           After catching a breath, Quirrel smiled at them. “I should go now”.

           They held both pill bug’s hands to their chest and nuzzled his nose, as if requesting him to stay a little longer.

           He giggled, “I cannot, madam is waiting and needs my aid”.

           The vessel sighed but nodded, they could understand his sense of duty, so honourable. They moved aside and let go of the smaller bug.

           Still laying on his back, Quirrel struggled to get back up. “Huh… A little help, please?”.

           They nodded and tugged at both his hands, pulling him back up into a kiss that the pill bug as soon his breath met with theirs returned.

          Even though none desired to part, they eventually must. With a smile, both waved their farewells; the prince watching Quirrel go as they slowly put back their hand to their sides before leaving the lake.             

           On his way back, Quirrel smiled to himself. He could not wait for next time he could see the prince, even if their meeting had grown short, he knew it would be worst to don’t see them at all.


	7. Chapter 7

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> *puts this in here and crawls off to die in a ditch* I did say things would escalate quick, didn't I? ( °-°)  
> WARNING: kinda spice below.

Multiples days and nights would pass before the fantasy of meeting once more turned real, but all these days he lived them with a bright smile, thinking on the promising future; there’s always a rainbow after the storm, after all.   

            It was late, and Quirrel yawned as he leaned into the large glass tube in front him containing lumaflies, repeating himself mentally he was almost done for today, _almost…_

           _He just needed to…_

           And done! Now all that remained was to put archive the report.

           The pill bug climbed up a chair in attempt to reach a high stand, usually Monomon would help him with this kind of tasks, but Quirrel wished not to bother her any more, she had gone to City of Tears earlier that day and when she returned looked mortified. Whatever had happened, it must have drained her.

           He sighed at the memory of when he went with the prince himself, a lot of things went wrong, but most were unavoidable. Poor lady Monomon, he wished to have gone with her, knowing how dangerous these lands now were, but she ordered him to stay and work.

          It was the fairest, though he had been worried sick all day long. At least she came back safe and sound.

          With a tired sigh, he thanked the lord and returned to his job, and what a decision, really…

          Height was not something that could be mixed without disastrous results with a with somnolence. His eyes were starting to close when the tap in a near glass jolted the pill bug awake.

          “Lady Monomon?!”, he jolted and abruptly turned.

           Due to his brusque movement, a leg of the chair snapped, but before he hit the floor, something held him into the air.

          And though his eyes laid upon a so familiar, slender, and flexible limb, it was not Monomon’s glowing green, but a pitch black one devoid of all light, the prince’s skin was what popped into his mind.

           “Prince?”

          They were peering into the room cautiously before noticing Quirrel alone and going in enthusiastically. The pill bug was put down, immediately, he rushed up to the vessel. Once both were few meters away the prince curled his arms around the student’s torso and pulled him into a tight hug; he didn’t seem to mind the loud purring nor the, odd, smooth and slimy texture of the void appendages, nor the fact the spontaneously came out from their body.

           He giggled and held up a tentacle, inspecting them closely. “These are new too!”, he exclaimed, amazed.

           They answered by shaking their head “no” in an alike upbeat fashion.

           “No? They are remarkably dreamlike! How come you didn’t show me before?”

           They simply shrugged and looked slightly away, blushing.

            Quirrel smiled warmly at him and kissed it just as he would have with Monomon’s. “I like them”, he said now in a lesser volume than before remembering he had to keep his tone low for his teacher. “I like them very much”, he added to reassure his partner he really meant it though perhaps his grin had grown ever so slightly flirtatious.   

           As soon he said these words, he could feel a rush through the tendrils, the knight immediately jolted with a darker blush on their face. Quirrel giggled again at their expression though it soon began to fade, he curled the tendril he had been holding around his own shoulders, leaning closer to the vessel to rest against their chest. 

            No matter how much he enjoyed being with the prince, he knew it was wrong to prevail awake, himself had work to do still, and the prince needed to train; poor Pale King would have a heart attack if his heir were to be lost when the sleeping kingdom was up again.  

          “My prince?”, he begun, this time less energetic, but equally as glad as before. “I’m grateful you came to my rescue, but you shan’t be here. Only the wrath or your parents would you gain with such a risqué, late at night, meeting”.     

          The royal simply nuzzled their beloved reassuringly, pulling him deeper into the hug while cupping the smaller’s cheek with a tendril after caressing the outline of his face; a light blush on his cheeks, even so dim, the vessel loved to see these colours on their beloved’s face.

         The prince’s eyes closed as they headbutted Quirrel’s forehead gently with their own, once it was pressing tight against the other’s, they proceeded to kiss the smaller bug, their mouth barely brushing their sweetheart’s, holding him close by the shoulders, refusing to let go of him. The student couldn’t help but giggle before returning these airy kisses.

          The vessel parted only to nudge him gently under the chin with his snout, slightly sneaking it in into the pill bug’s bandanna and blowing warm air at his neck with their every exhalation.

         “T-that tickles”, Quirrel said laughing quietly to don’t disturb Monomon’s sleep.  

         Nevertheless the quiet volume, the prince enjoyed to hear Quirrel’s laugh and the warm sensation the sole presence of the smaller bug provoked on them along the subsequent foreign emotions, so unknown and yet so pleasant.  They always learned something new with him, another reason why they have fallen for the pill bug.

          The tendril at Quirrel’s cheek slid up to the top of his head and removed his bandana before slowly trailing down to his shoulders and eventually sides to later meet with few other tentacles that would loosely curl around the pill bug’s hips, the tips closing at his lower back.

         Quirrel smiled warmly and cupped the vessel’s cheek to pull them closer and peck their forehead.  

         Leaning into the touch, they towered over their beloved to eventually push him into the floor, the tendrils around his torso pulling him up slightly before the pill bug could hit bottom; he moved his formerly free hand to the vessel’s back for further support.

         The vessel eyed the most they could from his partner with him underneath, paying special attention to his face and the blooming tint at it. Though so unnatural their own behaviour, there were certain instincts hard to repress, even more so when innate patterns were few traits they had been allowed to maintain.

         Quirrel let out a quiet squeak, blushing brighter of what he ever had before. Tendrils were wrapped around his legs all the way up to his tights just as other few at his arms to his wrists.

         It was not a particularly constricting grip, but rather loose, as if to only hold him and feel his hide against their fleshy, gooey, appendages,  allowing Quirrel total freedom about where and when move his limbs to or even to push them aside if so he wanted; but it was neither he desired much to part, a little curious touch won't hurt none, or so he hoped.

         Quirrel's hands glided over the vessel's torso, so thin and frail it looked, but glimpses from even this close were deceiving, only touch would reveal otherwise imperceptible scars. Though most — Quirrel assumed — from training, he didn't doubt there could be one or other from actual fights, either from Hallownest's mysterious creatures, or from infected bugs.

         There were few cuts clearly done with swords or other blades, but so were there the ones that felt done with a keen accuracy: stabs rather than slashes and some large. Perhaps a big creature? Or something rather mechanical? Nonetheless, Quirrel couldn’t help but worry.

         "Do they hurt?", he tilted his head up to ask, his hands still at his partner’s chest.

         The vessel shook their head “no" and reassuringly curled their tendrils a little tighter around his wrists, moving slight his hands as to tell him to go on.

         Yet the concern didn’t go away and even the vessel could tell it by only looking at him. Quirrel moved his hands to their back and leaned closer to kiss gently over every single scar at the prince’s torso, gaining a light blush and a huff out from them, worrying not, as both knew it was not of pain but rather something else; a same instinct that made them arch their back at the pill bug’s touch and to yank him deeper into the embrace just as to pull his head nearer their chest, the vessel’s own hand holding carefully his skull.

         Just as their beloved moved his hands around his body though freely, shyly, the vessel did too although with more confidence. A light, nonetheless, clingy feeling of misdoing prevailed still, they knew it was wrong, but the thrill of the forbidden act persuaded them to move forwards.

         Their tendrils roamed around the plates forming Quirrel’s shell at first; it was free of scratches or wounds, smooth to their touch. So grateful they were, the least they would ever want to know would be the little bug had been in some kind of pain.

         The tendrils rested over certain spot at the pill bug’s shell, as they moved a little bit closer to an unexplored area close to the student’s tights. The vessel could feel his heartbeats fastening through their limbs, the craving for flesh — but not for blood — they had experimented before returning, wilder, more demanding.   

         _Do not wish…_

        The prince remembered their father’s words and tried to shake the though off from their mind by concentrating on their sweetheart and how red his face was. His grip at the vessel’s body growing tighter and his sight pleading, as if asking them for something their mind did not know but their body definitely did.   

         _Do not think…_

         They grunted; their head began to ache but not more than the desire to be closer to Quirrel.

         The vessel did their best to ignore the pain, pulling away slightly from their beloved — thus confounding him greatly — they nested their head at the crook of the pill bug’s neck, kissing it to stay entertained and drown the voice at the back of their head with the accumulating heat of the moment, the need to break all boundaries increasing.

          _Do not hope_

         Quirrel let out a silent, breathy, noise the vessel found endearing; it was almost as a sigh, but not quite… a verbal manifestation of his earlier pleading; the vessel would leave him waiting no further, instinctively, they answered by pulling his hips tight to theirs; a deed otherwise difficult if not for their flexibility as the pill bug bellow was about half their height.  

         The volume of Quirrel’s vocalization grew recklessly louder, but the vessel was not doing any better, their void constructing their body loosened its shape and dripped down the pill bug’s limbs as goo droplets, sticky enough to slowly trail all throughout their lengths.  

         _Do not speak_

         The voice did not seem to be getting any quieter, but neither did the student. One way or another, the knight would find a way to muffle said voice for only this once…

         The vessel pulled Quirrel even closer with a brusque movement that took the pill bug by surprise, although he was not completely against it, it was not like them to be this rough, could something be wrong? 

         _Do not feel…_

         “Prince?”

         _Do not_

         **_Do not_**

         **_DO NOT_**

        “Are you alright?”.

         The voice within their head finally stopped.

         Quirrel was looking straight into their hollow eyes, “Prince?”, he asked shyly, still a dark blush at his cheeks.

         The vessel closed its eyes and nuzzled his nose as reassurance, but Quirrel knew they were not doing fine. He rubbed small circles with his thumb at their cheek; the prince leaned into the pill bug’s hand, gaining another giggle from the student. 

         Quirrel placed both his arms behind his back — the tendrils losing their grip easily —and took impulse with his elbows to sit up, the vessel staring curiously at his every movement and fixating their gaze over how the pill bug tied neatly his bandanna back around his neck.

          “Maybe you could use some fresh air!”, said he with a wide smile that lasted through the whole hike around the Fog Canyon.

          They had been sitting comfortably next to each other for a while now, dangling and swinging carelessly their legs from the platform they were at; watching from different angles the lumaflies, oomas and uomas, floating around without a worry on the wold at these pacific landscapes full of rosy and blue hues.

          Quirrel looked up at the vessel admiring every detail on his mask, the fine line that made their jaw, their sharp eyes, the rows of spikes on his horns and the dim pinkish light tinting their pure white; regardless the stoic shell, their gaze seemed rather lost but yet calm, still, the pill bug wanted to make sure first-hand his assumptions were right.

           “All better now?”, he asked quietly but jolly as ever, not to disrupt the canyon’s tranquil atmosphere.

          The prince leaned against him, resting his chin on top of Quirrel’s head, one of their hands at his lap with the pill bug's on top. They sighed tiredly and nodded in lazy manner, nuzzling Quirrell in an alike fashion on the process.

          The vessel could feel how the pill bug's muscles loosened as he slowly began to doze off. The taller bug wrapped their beloved into his cloak with a hug and nuzzled him lightly as they dragged him down gently with themselves, now both resting at the short grass and the void being touching Quirrel’s forehead with theirs, looking straight into his half-closed eyes as they ran a tendril along the back of the scholar’s head, down to his shell and finally resting their tentacles at his waist.

          Quirrel gave them a small, tired, smile and placed a hand over the vessel’s cheek before leaning to kiss them softly with closed eyes, a gesture the prince shyly returned, both taking their time to part, only doing so for the need to breathe.

          Until Quirrel’s breathe regularized, the vessel noticed it, their beloved was already sound asleep into their arms, his chest tight against their own, feeling how it raised and lowered, both hearts beating at the same, tranquil, rhythm; they pecked Quirrel’s forehead and intertwined their fingers into his, not wanting to let go just yet, because once they did, heavens knew when would they be able to see their sweetheart again.

          Not only the lack of time and the social hierarchy pulled them apart, but cruel destiny did as well. The vessel had been crafted to fight, to give their life is necessary, all in the name of the king, _their father._

          Their life could end at any moment, at any day, and they would never be able to tell Quirrel this had been their fate all along, the fate of a great knight, perishing to protect the king.

            But how would they be able to tell him if it were the case? They had no voice to cry suffering nor to talk, nor the mind to think on another way and certainly not the heart to see his precious round face soaking wet in tears...

            _No..._

            They shook his head. That wouldn't happen.

            They had a reason to fight with all they had, to keep living. They had to do it to protect the kingdom, their mother, their father, their beloved.

            Everything would be alright.

            Only that it wouldn't.

            When the vessel took Quirrel back before anyone could notice — even their sweetheart or the gigantic jelly dwelling into the archives— and turned back to the palace, the king waited for his creation as a predator for its prey, lurking on the shadows, waiting for the right moment to strike.

            He walked up to his craft; when they stepped forth, it bowed in respect and the king placed his hands at the sides of his invention's mask, keeping strong and sharp hold, as maws about to crush a skull; forcing it to look into his eyes, cold as the pale ore, dark as their own.           

            The vessel felt a tug at its heart, followed by rushed beating, but not like when it was with Quirrel, this time, it was harmful, but it found not the bravery to even try to pull away.

            “Do not neglect your duty with Hallownest to fulfill", the king reminded half-hissing, to his so proclaimed perfect vessel; mocking a sweet tone only for it to be gradually change into one of plain anger. “In few days, it will be. There is no more time to lose”.

             Still with its heart at the throat, the craft closed its eyes and bowed solemnly the best it could in acknowledgement, kneeling in one leg as they struggled to bow before their creator, tilting their head down, they had to agree they wanted or not, _for their vow…_

              “Do not falter your king ever again".

             The Wyrm finally let go of it, brusquely, almost throwing the vessel back. Saying nothing, he turned around and left the craft to itself, confused, light-headed due to the sudden high pressure crushing its skull disappearing; its senses just recuperating to see the tail of its father's cloak drag into another room and the loud creak of a door, but its heart still pounding harder and more painfully fast against their chest.  

             _Do not think…_

             They deserved it...

            _Do not speak…_

            They had sworn loyalty to the king since the very beginning, sealing that promise as the gate of the abyss closed and their sibling fell into the darkness.

            _Do not hope…_

            This foolish game of theirs needed to stop, or else more than just themselves would be hurt. Their people, their father, Quirrel…

            _Do not feel_ …

            Not even themselves could ever be truly happy if they were meant to be hollow, what had made them think they could have made him…?

            **_Do not, do not…_**

            The god's voice resonated within their head, repeating over and over again, slowly taking over their head, leaving no room for no other thought but the same, cursed, mantra. Crushing their spirit and something else deep inside; something that made their void leak from their eyes and run through their cheek and eventually the jaw line to later fall as a droplet similar to that of the rain.

             They took their hand to the corner of their eye and fell no crack nor wound whatsoever. Father couldn’t have possibly hurt them… that bad, or could he? They would had been aware of the bleeding much sooner if he had.

             Then why did it pain them so much?

              _Do not_

             It was a different kind of pain, but even looking at their own reflection on the crystal-clear floor could they find any wound.

             What was happening?!

             The previously stainless marbles now began to darken when the pitch-black substance dripping from their eyes splashed into it.

            Their heart started beat faster, they rushed to clean the stain with their cape.

             Father only wanted the best for them…

             For them and the kingdom.

             There was no reason to doubt father nor his good intentions or fair judgement; if he had made them pain, then that was because they deserve it. 

             Void kept dripping nonstop.

             But neither was there a reason to deny Quirrel, he would never hurt them…

            Quirrel would never…

            _Do not_

            They looked at their palm the droplets falling into it and quickly forming a puddle that soon began to excess and leak down their arm, staining further both their clothes and the floor below.

            So confused, so lost, they only began to feel worst and worst.

            Trying to calm down, they focused a spell into healing themselves, but the void kept to leak.

            Why won’t the bleeding stop?!

            Repeatedly they tried again once more and even twice but none was of any avail. The void won’t stop, the stains would keep to grow.

            What was happening to them?!

            Quirrel would had aided them to understand, he could have… 

             _Don’t_

            The void increased even more as the words keep repeating into their head like a broken record. 

            Quirrel would have helped them.

            But father disliked when they saw Quirrel.

            In the past they had never doubted father and did as his will without objection, but they couldn’t understand any of this. Why would father dislike him?  

            They did not want to upset father, but neither to leave the pill bug… However, their life had never been their own. It was not up to them to “decide”, or to “wish”. Deep down, they knew the answer to the dilemma, if there had ever been one. Yet, they couldn’t help but feel something deep within shatter further.

            Void tears kept to overflow.


	8. Chapter 8

Quirrel woke up and looked around, expecting more than the emptiness of the room receiving him. Last he remembered was to have been with the prince, but he seemed wrong. Perhaps he had dreamed it? But it had felt so real. Or rather, too surreal, as it had been too good to be truth.

            However, deep down, he knew it: these were fresh memories.

            Why would they have left with no word? Was it for regal duties to attend? Could they be in need of help?

             No hint had been let to tell for certain, but that could be fixed.

             He stood up to investigate further. The archives were as tranquil as ever, maybe even more than usual. Immediately, he notified his teacher, maybe she could happen to know what might have occurred.  

            “Lady Monomon?”, he called out.

           With no delay, the teacher showed up. “Oh, Quirrel! Nice to-…”, she noticed at her student’s limbs — although barely visible — droplets of what she could recognize as void, trailing slowly down the pill bug.  “…-to see you”.

          In so little time they had, and under the all-seeing watch of the king… She would have never guessed they would ever have time to meet… Somehow, they had found a way. Perhaps during night?

          “Milady? Something of the matter?”, he was now more concerned about her sudden change of mood.

           She sighed and gracefully fluttered to take seat, patting a place next to her with a tentacle, “We need to talk”.

           Quirrel nodded and did as her will, a knot of nerves at his throat, not sure what he had done wrong, could have he messed up a report, forgotten something? Would a possible meeting with the prince had gone wrong? What about if it had to do with Uumuu?...

           If only she had told him sooner, many problems could had been avoided, but there was no place for such things as hypothetic scenarios that won’t be. She took deep breathe, before letting her words out sharp but airy as a sigh. “You can see the prince no more”.

           Regardless taking her time, and the attempt to not sound too demanding, her words still hurt the pill bug like bricks. “M-milady, if this is about work I can-…”

           Against her own plans, she could not tell him about the void — the Wyrm had a reputation to preserve and so she had, too, her deal with him — but neither could she allow him to keep meeting with the vessel, they had gone too far up to the point fearing there was no look back, judging by the implications of the goo trailing down her student’s legs.

           The king’s decree had already been bad enough and heavens know how worst could it get if overlooked more of the done by now done.

           “My student, though it pains me, you must be conscious I do it out of your own wellbeing”, she started. Every single word truth even when partially. “I fear the path you are choosing will end in nothing but ache”. As Quirrel said nothing, she took it as hint to continue. “As prince, they cannot be seen with mere peasants of the likes of you or me other than for sheer business”.  

             Monomon took a tentacle to his cheek, he calmly leaned against it.

            “They are gods out of our reach, no matter how near, my dear”, she paused as her student leaned closer to her for comfort, resting his head at her lap; she petted him carefully not to hurt him any more, trying to soften the hit of her words.  “If you truly cherish our prince, please, stop meeting with them…”

             Nevertheless, she knew at the end they would hurt the same. He had to understand it; Lurien himself had told her they day before how their date at the City of Tears had gone, and she expected of her student to have noticed the great contrast between the social hierarchy (although the ones at lower positions seemed eradicated by now). If she could not persuade him into forfeiting by telling him of the void, this was the least she could try to do.

             It was for his own good, for the _**greater**_ good. Yet, her heart ached seeing him this sad. Tears sliding down his cheeks, wetting the piece of cloth around his neck.

             It all hurt, because deep down he knew it was truth from the very start, however, he had hopped for it to change. But maybe that was something not even Hallownest with all its magic could do, there were a fair share of things deemed impossible and this had to be one of these.

             “Unless…”, Monomon talked up again although stopping almost immediately, pensive; as if struggling whether to said it or not.

             If she did, and her student were to take it to heart, not even gods knew if there would be time to create another vessel, one that functionated accordingly to the king’s desires, this one could at least buy time for the kingdom to not meet its ultimate demise, to prolong its stasis…

             At the other hand, if it were to fulfil its role in the temple of the back egg, not won’t it only bring a merely temporal solution or even not a solution at all due to the infection’s invasive nature, but it would break her student’s heart as well…

             In the end, both ways would bring doom. The vessel had always been far from perfect and it was not until recently they noticed. It was unavoidable from the start, they all should had known better. Even when fabricated, it was still a living being much as her dearest Uumuu and jellies, it was unpredictable... Out of all the variables, only how much time would it take for Hallownest to be forgotten in time depended on the choice, but it was not something that corresponded for her to answer, and given the circumstances, neither the king.

             She decided to do tell. “Unless you two ran away”.

             Still teary-eyed, Quirrel sat up and cracked a smile at the suggestion. “My lady, I mean not to be disrespectful, but I couldn’t ever conceive such an idea… I could not bear to leave your side, let alone ask the prince to leave everything behind, particularly in these times of dire. Whom am I compared to a whole kingdom?”.

             A sad smile was reflected on the teacher’s mask as she held both his hands tight, “Oh, my dearest Quirrel…”, she slid a free tentacle from his forehead to the nape as a caress. “I appreciate your thoughtfulness, but a conclusion to the reign was imminent from the start”.

              “Milady…”

             “Everything has an end, my dearest. So will our cherished kingdom, so will I and even could our king”, her tentacle now slid down to his cheek, cupping it. “And although our contentment is finite too, is by far more important to me, as, relatively to our short-lived time of existence, your happiness would prevail for much longer extend than what this doomed kingdom will under the current circumstances”, she stroked him. “What I’m attempting to explain is… If it was under my power, the only thing I could possibly seek to achieve is for your smile to ever remain”.  

             She beamed at him just as he had done to her for all these years. Between tears, Quirrel bittersweetly smiled back but his sole real reply was to hug her tight, “Thanks, milady…”

             “My dear? Is something wrong?”, asked the teacher, alarmed by his tone.

             “Although I’m grateful for your support, the final decision rest on the prince, milady. I could never force them into something which was not of their fondness, however…”, he took one of her tentacles. “Either way their decision, I will be content” — he beamed at her, no tears to tarnish his smile — “because no matter the outcome I know there’s someone by my side who cares deeply for me”.

             Originally, she would have thought the vessel had not the ability to choose, but proven its… _their_ flaws, she did not know what to think anymore; only that the quicker they took a decision, the faster preventive measures would be taken.

             “The king would be against unforeseen visits. Let us go once Hallownest’s bugs lay fast asleep, I shall aid you reach your sweetheart”.

             Sooner was a better choice, if they let the opportunity go, the fatidic day of her depart would come and with her, and the other two dreamers, the object of her student’s affection, the prince, would be forever lost.


	9. Chapter 9

The so-called pure vessel was finally able to get a break. It was truth they could last longer than common bugs with close to zero rest, but the same couldn’t be said about the other knights on the king’s court.

            The void being stared at its fellow cavaliers as usual, so different they were to itself… Not only were they not made of the same components, nor they had been created specifically for the job, but they had been built into it as a matter of their own choice, in all their will.

            And that, was what made them so dissimilar.

            They could choose over their lives, just as they had chosen to stay at father’s side, to fight for him, and…

            It sighed although no sound was made, eyes laying on how everyone, but it, could have someone to cherish one or another way.

            Dryya, after rigorous session of training, always left to look after mother, or so before both of them one day inexplicably disappeared; Isma had Ogrim, Ze’mer her mysterious sweetheart it always found her murmuring about, and Hegemol could have nobody to call his own, or so the vessel thought, but he would always be there for any of the other knights.    

            As for itself? It was an outcast.

            Other than the king himself, no one could truly interact with them and by now it felt like such a long time ago, when they were only a young bug, they still remembered it all clearly: the first time they had cleared the _special_ course father had made solely for it and its training. Only a stare they shared, but it had been enough and more of what it would ever have, as nowadays if father ever by accident turned to them, merely disgust was what they would be able to see at best.

           No other bug outside the King’s close circle had ever tried to near the prince, one reason or another, either believing themselves out of league, or perhaps the vessel usually although not on purpose intimidated them. Or so was it until Quirrel came in.

           What a carefree and peculiar one. 

            If only could they tell him how much he meant for them before they had to-…They shook their head.

            With no voice to talk it was impossible.

            Unless…

            “Me’hon, che’s flower caught your eye? Le’mer have special one in mind?”

            Isma nodded silently and mouthed something the vessel could barely hear as a “Yes”.

            She looked eager to hear the reply judging by her loud tone. “Che’ should have expected such!”.

            With no more delay, she handled carefully a beautiful pale flower to Isma, one so pale much as the clothes they wore or such as the hide at their skull, they remembered their mother once telling of these foreign species to father and have seen Ze’mer caring for these.

             “Sacred offering is perfect gift! It is a rare, delicate object, one of a kind. You must cherish it, must act as though it were your own heart”.  

             Isma nodded knowledgeably. “I will!”, she barely whispered determined.

             “Off now, brave Knight”.

             She nodded eagerly and rushed away afterwards giving the fellow knight a quick hug as show of gratitude.

             _…Must act as though it were your own heart_

             Perhaps a flower would be a nice gift… A way to tell his beloved how much they truly cared… _Give him their heart_ …

             But they could not ask Ze’mer for a flower… The knights knew of the no interactions rule and they doubted she would make an exception no matter how a big romantic she was.

             Not being able to ask nicely, late at night, they sneaked pass the palace’s guards and into the garden where Ze’mer had been keeping her flowers.

             It was a grave mistake; for, once they arrived, they did not expect Ze’mer to still be awake and tending the plants.

             She immediately drew her oversized sword, thinking they were an intruder. The vessel trusted her skills and moved not a single muscle as they knew she would realize it was them just in time.

             “You arrive to che’s garden? What brings Le’mer here?”

             They gulped and pointed at a flower, now more secure of themselves in attempt to make their point across: they _needed_ it.

             “Le’mer asks for flower?” 

             They nodded.

             “For king?”

             The vessel had to think it twice, how would they explain it was not for father nor mother but Quirrel instead?  They began playing with their own fingers.

             Somewhat, Ze’mer needed of no answer.

             “‘Che knows of look although so hollow”

             Easily, she lifted up her nail and cut one flower for them with a careful swing, careful not to destroy them nor to cut not even a single one more.

             “A flower che' shall give you”, she handed it to the vessel with precaution such as how she had done earlier for Isma. “As che warned before, it doest become precious as one's heart whilst held”.

             They nodded the same way Isma before them had done.

             “Le’mer must go before king the palest notice. ‘Che shall not answer for fault done”.

             They acknowledge it, it was not her fault if they were to be caught. With a solemn bow, they gave her their thanks and took off.

             “Safe tiding on your journey, young prince”.

             Delicate flower at hand, the vessel reached the trail full of mechanical hazards, one wrong move and the gift would shatter, but for them there was no other way out.

            Taking deep breath, they leapt into the path of saws, lances, arrows and spikes.

             After the years they have memorized it and learned how to make it pass the obstacles, injuring themselves the least they could, but it must be perfect this time… To deliver the flower.

             Shortcuts and tricks would be needed if they wanted to arrive out before their father could notice.

             They had almost made it out when…

             _Do not falter your king ever again…_

            The vessel lost balance and fell just when a row of arrows triggered at the floor. Luckily, just in time they managed to use their nail to bounce off danger.

            Now safe, they immediately turned to see the flower: it was still in one piece, no petal out of order, as fine as it could be. They sighed in relief, leaning against a pillar.

            “What a shame… Such an effort… all to waste”.

            The vessel immediately held the flower closer to their chest in an attempt to hide it within their cape.

            Out of the darkness, the king made his entrance. The vessel was surprised to not have noticed their father sooner. He walked up to his craft, stalking, walking around them.

             “To think I had taught you better…”, his voice was upset at best. “How could my perfect creation had fallen for such a vile trick? Can you not see that bug is only using you?”, he stepped closer and grabbed harshly into his offspring’s chin. “Why would anyone repair on a mindless creature? _they won’t_ ”.

             With these words the king let go of them. What was he talking about? Quirrel loved them! Or did he?... He had never said it but… No, it was not necessary to talk, they have learned actions could say more than words.

            “Look at you, making a fool out yourself by hearing what simple peasants have to say, attending to each request, even when it means shaming your own father…” — he huffed — “What a disgrace you have bestowed upon us, and all for a simple bug who by now must be nothing but an empty husk”.

            The void being imperceptibly jolted at the last sentence, it was truth in such a cruel world, none could be sure when would it strip you from your most beloved ones; one second distracted and at the other they all would be gone, but the vessel knew Quirrel was a strong bug, and he would survive these dire times as a heart of a warrior beat inside that shell of his. Still, they had not the bravery to oppose father’s words, but neither did they had the voice to do so.

            At lack of any hint of soon submission in their craft’s behalf, he feared the blue bug had scrambled up enough his perfect vessel’s vision and had encouraged them to stand for itself. But so be it if it was flawed, he had a contingency plan even if his creation were to fail, not as many would be saved, even, perhaps even more would perish, but what gives? These bugs left were nothing but peasants.

            “If you are so blind, off you go. See it with your own eyes”, the king ordered with a hiss.

            Not thinking twice, the vessel clutched tighter into their nail and rushed out from the palace, careful to don’t crash and break the flower.

             If only hadn’t they left in such a haste would they noticed the smile of satisfaction creeping on their father’s face, one so shady, of someone who knew they had gotten away with their deed.

             That little bug, no matter how smart, should had to know better it was harder to mess with god’s work.   

             Now all that was left for him to do was patiently wait for the “I told you so” speech, it would certainly be a greater gratification once the craft came and could not hear the tapping at the window of its room not today nor evermore.

             What a nice thought.

             Soon, only good nights would await the bugs of Hallownest.

             _All thanks to their creation._

             Shortly would they arrive, and it won’t be long before the pill bug knew the vessel was not around; the king laughed to himself, the same would be for his so-called prince.

             Better to have everything prepared, the other dreamers assembled, servants ready to gear appropriately their saviour; it should have arrived by now according to his calculations, which could never, ever, be wrong.  

            Agitated, the vessel reached the archives. The lights of the lumaflies illuminated the inside, but they could hear no voices, only the bubbling of the acidic water of the surroundings.

            Cautiously, they walked into the building, their heart skipped a beat.

            Pieces of investigation were scattered around the floor, few of these they remembered had seen them once or twice in their life and others they could not understand at all.

            They continued to look around the archives finding no more luck nor any trace of Quirrel, even less of the dreamer Monomon. But it couldn’t be right!

            Desperately, their searching intensified.  Even when looking in every corner, they could not find any hint, it all pointed that their father had been truthful to them.    

            Void leaked down their cheeks, they were sorry for had doubted father, this was all their fault… If they had only listened father from the beginning Quirrel would be fine now, maybe he could still be around, even if it meant to sacrifice their own life for his, the cost was not too great. But now it was too late for him…

            The vessel turned to see the exit and felt something within them break, but whatever it was they had no time for stop and realize; no matter if it made the void excess from their sockets at dangerous rhythm.

            They left the archives with a mission to accomplish in mind, leaving behind a trail of the fragile petals from a withering white flower on their hand.  

            Little they know their beloved was, in fact, fine, as not long afterwards he arrived alongside his teacher.

             Monomon sighed. “Worry not, my student. Perhaps better luck awaits us tomorrow”, said she while crossing the entrance into the building.

             Her student looked like about to say something, but naught came out. Almost immediately after going through the door, the pill bug noticed silvery petals scattered around the floor and knelt to take a hold of a single one.

             It looked in bad state and Quirrel feared it might shatter further and turn to dust, but it prevailed still.

            “A foreign species is it not?”, he asked afterwards picking up carefully the petal, nearing it towards his teacher for further information. 

            The teacher nodded, not taking the piece of flower as she knew of its famous fragility. “Indeed. Quite rare, I have only seen such a flower grow in…”, she paused briefly in realization.

            “Where?”

            “The palace’s gardens…”, she looked at her student, Quirrel seemed like he could faint at any moment now.

            “Prince!”, he quickly grabbed his nail and left to follow the petal trail, holding the single piece he had taken hold of close to his chest.

            “Quirrel, wait!”.

            Elsewhere, the prince had arrived back in record time, flower shattered at hand, much as its spirits. Ah, and it was about time for the king to take a taste of the fruit of his efforts.

            The king held up his creation’s chin gently, “Poor thing, foolish enough to had to see with its own eyes father was correct the whole time. We cannot blame it, without an appropriate mind to think… how could you see the repercussion of your imprudence? With no will to break, condemned were you to follow orders no matter who’s”, said the king as to relieve himself even when he had planned the outcome all along.

            His grip grew hurtful, but the vessel felt nothing at all, not its heart pounding, nor the need to break free, neither to hide, emptiness was everything there was.

            “However, neither can it be forgiven for such a grave fault”, its creator continued. “To your fortune, father is a merciful one. Would you, creation of mine, compensate for your transgression against your own progenitor and the kingdom?”.

            The vessel slowly nodded, lacking even the will to simply move their head.

            “First of all, hand over the flower”, he asked, extending his hand towards his creation whom humbly vowed while placing what was left of the palm on their father’s hand. As rewards for their submission, the king rewarded them with a pat between the antlers. “That is an obedient subject worth of my compassion”, he said pleased.

            In olden times, the vessel would have given anything to make proud their father, no matter the cost nor the consequences. And now it was getting the sole thing it had always wanted, not even then could it bring themselves to feel something.

            “Dismiss at once, we must prepare for the big day immediately. Royal retainers shall be at your disposition, creation of mine”.

            They simply bowed to the king before leaving, they should not delay it any longer, or else… more innocent bugs would end like _him_ …

            Though lackadaisical, they made their way through the palace at the perfection and the king couldn’t be gladder; soon, the Radiance’s reign would truly finish for once and for all and he would be the only god worshiped by all these bugs.

            Though, first, there were few minor details he would have to handle…

            “Kingsmould, royal retainers”.

            The guards and lackeys appeared the moment he called without delay, presenting themselves with an overdone bow.

            “Secure the palace. Our perfect vessel needs not to meet with any more disturbances nor would we want nuisances while on the preparations”.

             Knights, with a nod, acknowledged their duty and, with a respectful bow to their king, they parted to fulfill their job.

             The king turned now to the left party. “As for you, follow. We must give a warm welcome to the dreamers”.

             He walked down the halls, followed by his oblivious henchmen.

             Well aware he was that a major change would approach Hallownest, families would be shattered, and valuable subjects forever lost, but all was for the greater good.

             _“No cost too great”_ , the king thought as he crushed on his grip little or less of what remained of the delicate flower.


	10. Chapter 10

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm alive and this thing has been only been acquiring dust since I'm too lazy to update, hahaha...ah... ;---;

Quirrel arrived at the palace’s grounds, still holding at the single petal he had previously picked up, lacking breath, his legs barely able to keep him standing given their weariness, running through almost whole Hallownest twice was no easy feat; Monomon followed closely.  

             “What were you thinking rushing off like-…?!”, she paused, “-that…”.

             Noticing her fellows in the sacred task to bring new hope for the kingdom with their sacrifice, the dreamers, she knew exactly what was bound to happen.

             All colours drained from out her body, Quirrel stared startled at her. “Milady? W-what’s wrong?”.

             “Mommy!”

             A distressed yell was heard, one which voice’s owner was a small child only about half Quirrel’s height if not smaller, sporting a red cape tarnished with her black tears and a needle-shaped nail too big for her, somewhat, she remembered the student of the prince.

             Before she could reach the former queen of Deepnest, Herrah, newcomers made their arrival. 

             “Princess!”, weavers called out for her in the chase.

              With a swing of her blade the child turned, a furious look on her gaze, but black tears still fresh. “Go away! I want to save mama!”

             And when she was distracted, the guards from the white palace came from behind and grabbed her from an arm each, picking her up.

             “Let me go!”, she struggled to break free from their grasp. “Mom!”, the small girl called out again.

             Herrah looked away, tears in her multiple eyes, knowing there was nothing she could do to stay longer with her daughter.

             Quirrel turned to see his teacher; confusion, disbelief and fear in his eyes, tears beginning to peer out from them. “M-monomon, what’s the meaning of this? Do you know anything about it?”, he weakly whispered, taking a tentacle into one of his hands and squeezing it tight.

             While Monomon struggled to find the words, the little girl didn’t give up her fight just yet. She would fight back these guards with nails and teeth.

             Jerking her head, she managed to poke with her little horns the guard’s eyes, taking both by surprise and immediately making them drop her.

             Quickly, the child used her needle to tie string around the guard’s legs, winning her enough time to rush at Herrah’s direction.

             She held tight into the beast’s legs, “Mama! You cannot go! I-I…!”, her squeaky voice began to break as her tears overflowed.

             More knights made entrance and forcefully subdued the little girl.

             “Mama!”, she yelled again as she was ripped away from her mother’s side.

             “Monomon!”, the pill bug yelled in distress too for his own mother figure, tugging at her tentacle and clenching tighter into the petal, tears bursting out his eyes.

             Whether or not it was appropriate to aid the young lady he did not know, her own escorts didn’t seem to help even when she looked in distress, but he felt the same way, he wanted to bring his assistance, but so he desired the reassurance his lady would be alright without him by her side as whatever was going on, everyone seem to be more aware than him.

              Momentary snapping out, Monomon looked straight at her pupil, holding him by the shoulders, “Quirrel, there is no time to explain. My investigation, it shall give all the answers you des-…”.

              “Take her home”, with these words the king made his apparition along more of his subjects.

              “You!”, now she yelled looking at the king. “You are a monster!”.

             Regardless the guards holding her down, the child threw her needle-like nail at the king. Easily he dodged the weapon, looking uninterested, not bothered at all, even, as if he had been expecting it all along.

              “And take… _that bug_ out too”, he added in derogatory remark, gazing daggers at Quirrel’s direction.

             The pill bug immediately turned paler and gulped, “Huh?!”.

             Just like the girl before him, he was held by both arms by the guards. In efforts to stay with Monomon, the pill bug held tighter into her with both hands, kicked and squirmed but finally, too, was torn apart from his surrogate mother’s side.

             Howls of a great grief were heard resounding into the Palace’s Grounds from Ancient Basin, tearing both ladies’ hearts, knowing once they made it back to their children’s side, only they would have few minutes to tell them all these things now they will never be able to, _if_ they were able to see them at all.

             Mere thoughts scared the teacher to her core, the king wouldn’t sent him to his death, would he? They had made a deal, and he still needed of her to engrave the spell into the temple, he should know she would deny all help if Quirrel were to be harmed.

             Snapping her out from her thoughts, the king self-righteously waltzed to lead the group, “Better to wait no more, you would not desire to lose a well-deserved _nap_ after the plague, would you?”.

             While the king went ahead to point the way, Monomon could see him stepping into fragments of the now completely shattered petal her poor child had been holding into.

             The teacher floated up to the king’s side. “King or not, don’t you dare touch my student”.

             “Me? I promise I won’t ever scratch his shell. The kingsmould? That’s different case. Why would I dispatch of a filthy peasant with my own hands when someone else can dispatch of such low scum? Besides, teacher” — he turned towards her, gazing daggers — “He deserves punishment for tarnishing a god’s perfect craft”.

             “It was far from being perfect and you must had realized it yourself, highness” — Monomon started again, trying hard not to raise the level of her voice out of both, respect, and her own scruples — “The kingdom was doomed to meet its downfall from the start”.

             “Just as your student will if you don’t fulfill your king’s demands, that includes either of you rebelling further. It’s high treason, teacher. You must know”.

             Her tentacles clenched in irritation, “If my student is harmed in any way, I…”.

             “If you refuse to follow orders, then your dear child’s head will roll. For what I know, I have the upper hand, so, do yourself and your precious pupil a favour and surrender to my command”.

             With such tranquility the monarch talked about murder… but this was the same bug whom had sacrificed millions of his own children only to create one that was utterly dead inside. But she had helped with said cursed project, it was only fair she would have to pay for it sooner or later.

             “It’s your choice, of course”, the king remarked.

             Admitting defeat, the teacher merely sighed and lowered her head. The ruler returned to face forwards, pleased and proud of himself for another well-done job of crushing another bug’s hopes and will, but no matter how much he could manipulate her course of action, he could not manipulate her mind, and at heart the teacher thought that bastard would sooner or later meet his doom at the hands of his own arrogance.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I had to add little Hornet and you all know it.  
> Also: REMEMBER, KIDS! Never ignore the intellectual/scientist/smart fellow! (Because their grudge against you for not listening will become the least of your problems).


	11. Chapter 11

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm not dead yet!  
> Or so I wanna think.

Attentive royal retainers dressed it up to finally fulfill its part, as they removed the rags it dressed in; it found no shame in how the lackeys stripped it from its belongings and made contact with the bare hide, although neither could it find pride on their soon-to-be deed. For once, it was completely unable to feel something at all besides the ever-growing emptiness consuming it. 

             How could they feel anything at all?

             Many would be saved for sure, but how could they feel whatsoever when its heart laid broken just as the flower meant for its beloved or — by now — that pretty skull of his, so full of wonderful ideas the world would never know. 

             Once the royal retainers were done, it was time to take new orders. “Your father is waiting for you at the black egg temple, highness”, a royal retainer informed it.

             Its creator could not wait for it, it was a mere loss of his time…

             With a nod, it recognized the server’s instructions and proceeded to leave, they had already taken more than enough time from everyone.

             The pure vessel looked at itself on the clear, immaculate, reflection of the palace’s metal work. It stood firmly with nail at hand and clad in full white armour, its best gowns — a blanche cape designed only for it — dragging behind as it walked through these long halls, its every step echoing, no other sound to be heard.

            By its lonesome, so _hollow,_ much as itself, as when it laid eyes on its own picture, all it could see was a hollow vessel with no use but to be a sacrifice.

            That’s what its progenitor had ever wanted them to be, _that’s what they were crafted to be._ A mere empty shell meant to purely follow orders. No desires, no aspirations, no ideas of its own nor feelings…

            Just an overvalued piece of chess, another tactic, a puppet in this game of constant pull and tug, one disposable pawn of many others.

            As they kept moving on, memories resounded on its head just as its footsteps on the hall, remembrances from long ago up to recently. Such disgrace it had been, tarnished from the very start, what a selfish, ungrateful, child to have lied all this time.  

            Images of its siblings still were fresh on its mind and of how on the pitch black the crush of skulls were heard; half alive beings falling to their deaths, but so were too the ones who had long ceased to exist.

            Oh, and didn’t it remember so well the littlest one? It would never forget the sight of its eyes when they were to leave with father; and after they had so desperately climbed in attempt to reach for them…

            Stolen a life that could had been said little bug’s, that’s what they had done. All these scraps, cuts and spilled void, the broken shells, the rigorous training, seeing the wonders and horrors of the kingdom they were born in but never got to see, these nice bugs such as their mother or Quirrel, but most importantly, father’s approval, which now would be everything they will ever have since its beloved pill bug was gone.

            It clenched a fist to its chest, the memory hurt still even when it felt numb, but all pain would soon cease for the bugs of Hallownest, innocent ones they had nothing to do with this war of no winner.

            Nonetheless, there was no use in grieving these loses as it won’t change a thing, all they could do was to make its own part into the preservation of what was left, yo take all these wishes and desires into itself and extinguish the old light.

            Not long it took the hollow knight to reach the fated place where it would forever give Hallownest’s bugs rest of mind. The dreamers were there and so did father, but no one else. It tried to reach for Monomon, grateful to see its sweetheart’s beloved mother figure was safe, but before it could, its parent called out.

            “My creation, about time you arrived”.

            The hollow knight simply vowed before the king.

            “And so, your time to fulfill your duty with Hallownest”.

            The Wyrm passed by it and went closer to the chamber. Before the hollow knight could follow, it looked back at the dreamers, knowing the sacrifice would be bestowed upon them as well.

            But it followed father, there was nothing it could say to them to make it any better. They had agreed by their own account and knew this was their end too.

            Stopping by the entrance where its parent waited, it merely stared, perhaps expecting him to tell them something; few words of relief after all their suffering, after the punishments he had imposed, after all the vessel had done in order to make him proud…

            The father stared back at it, as if he knew, he talked. “What are you waiting for, vessel? For me to follow?” — he paused briefly, and before his creation could make any hint of an answer, he continued, staring daggers at it — “Don’t make me laugh… After all the disgrace you have caused? It was your whole fault the delay of this great day, skipping additional hours of training only to be with some commoner. I have better things to do than to accompany such a foolish creature to its imprisonment, fortunate you are I’m even present.”, he turned around, arms crossed inside his long sleeves, over his chest. “Now, off. Atone for your mistakes and all these innocent lives with your own”.

            No more words were said, not a single compassionate gaze to the very end. The hollow knight took deep breath before walking further into the black egg temple, _all alone._ Somewhat, it brought back memories…

            The way the inside of their new home was so empty and dark made them thought of when it still was with its siblings, trapped into the abyss and isolated from the other bugs of the kingdom, but certainly they were not alone, the siblings looked for one another… Until father came, with the promise of letting them see the outside world. Only one would be able to leave, as the others would be discarded and their corpses would fall back into the abyss like rain, filling up the hole they had been born into.

             _Rain…_

            It reminded them off…

            _Do not think_.

            Both, the voice on its head and itself remembered: they had to fulfill fate. They focused into taking in the infection, surrounding themselves in a circle of a pale light of its own and the whirling of vermilion fog which burned its hide and insides.  

_Do not speak..._

            It could hear though so quiet the spells being chanted into the chamber as precautions. Seals began to form walls where it had arrived from.

            Walls that would avoid them of leaving ever again; so bright, but not brighter than the orange light overtaking their body, all they began to see was a vermilion colour.

_Do not hope..._

            The more it consumed, the more precautions had to be needed. Through its own pain, it tied itself in chains, spells crawling up them as reinforcement; it had nothing to lose anymore, or so the vessel thought.

_Do not..._

            Until it had consumed all light, its eyes returning to the darkness even blacker than that of its surroundings. Exhausted, it let its head drop.

            At the back of his head, a voice was barely audible, one it hadn’t perceived before, but know from now on it would be hearing it nonstop…

_Dawn shall break_ …     


	12. Chapter 12

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Kinda smol, but I swear next one is a lot longer.

Afterwards casting her own seal into the temple of the black egg, Monomon crawled back to the archives; almost no energy left on her body and starting to feel the somnolence wash over her, she stayed determined to go back, there was one final task she should do.

 Kingmoulds were at the entrance, probably to make sure her pupil wouldn’t escape nor try anything fun. At the very least, it meant he was probably safe and sound. As soon the guards moved to let her in, her small student pounced at her, embracing tightly her tentacles, tears on his face.

“L-lady Mo-Monomon! You are alright! I-I thought…”. 

“Quirrel… don’t, not now, please…”.

 He looked at her, his teacher looking more tired than ever, his tears drying off, what mattered now was these who were left. “You need rest…”.

“A little more than that…”, said her, implying on her tone she needed of his aid.

Monomon went pass him, and he followed closely, wondering what his lady would ask of him, but regardless what it could be, he would accomplish for sure. 

“You must know… the one you took as your love is not with us anymore, as they had accomplished the feat bestowed upon them before birth, to take the infection into themselves and be sealed in the temple of the black egg, finally giving our tormented people closure”.

Having read her investigation as requested, he could understand, but didn’t make it any easier to swallow nor made the pain at his chest any less.

 With his voice beginning to break, he struggled to say: _“_ I’m aware, milady…”, looking down little afterwards in attempt to hold back more tears.

“Out of a void structure it was made, crafted specially to contain the plague. A body with no mind nor desires should had been able to stop it… Although we were so wrong… Oh, so wrong… I should had known better such a concept was far from possible, even when hand-crafted under cautious sight”.

“I… I learned first-hand…” — he gazed back to his teacher — “Why wouldn’t you tell me before, madam?”.

“Our king would have never allowed it. But soon it will matter not, if his vision is to clear enough for him to see our mistakes and fake accusations of beliefs into a perfect being, he will be gone and so will I”.  

“Madam d-don’t say such things…”.

“To sleep forever had been my fate”, she held his hands between her tentacles. “But you, Quirrel, my lovely and sweet student, you can give it and end, if your heart is big enough to forgive your teacher”.

“Of course I forgive you! You… didn’t intend to hurt me. I appreciate it, milady. Please, do tell how may I be of help”.  

She let go of his hands, and took her tentacles to her face; gracefully as always her movements were as she took her mask off.

“For diversity, a seal out of three different of us, _the dreamers_ , was made”, she took pause to place her mask on top Quirrel’s head as a hat, it looked too big for him, but he had a long way to go still. “A world forever unchanging, where the infection won’t break free anew… It cannot happen, it is impossible…  My dearest student… History shall repeat itself”.

With a pat on the mask, it lighted up a white blinding light around the pill bug, a seal strong enough to protect both the teacher’s belongings and her dearest student himself.

“And for that I seek your aid…”, her voice had now grown more tired; breathlessly, she leaned against one of the tubes she used to have a good slumber in, losing control of her own body as exhaustion overpowered her.

 “Milady!”, Quirrel rushed to grab her tentacles before she could hit her head against the glass.

 “Run away from the kingdom and take my mask, don’t ever look back… When the day arrives once again you shall heed my call…”.  As she slid into the tube that would be her soon resting place, her tentacles strayed more from her student’s grasp, tears overflowing from his eyes and both their hearts ripping apart.

“But I don’t want to leave y-…”, he stopped on his tracks as he could feel her touch no more.

“One of the prince’s likes must destroy the seals, must break the endless circle of suffering with a tool able to cut through body and soul…”. She yawned, one of her tentacles lazily being placed against the glass with what little remained of her strength. “Forever…”.

“Teacher, I…”, Quirrel placed his hand over where her teacher’s tentacle was, only apart by the crystal.

Her limb fell back to her side as her eyes began to close, “Forever…” — soon to be shut — “Better an end…”.

With these words, she drifted into a never-ending sleep. Quirrel tilted his teacher’s mask in signal of respect for her.

“I understand…”, said he, knowing she won’t be able to talk any more, but finding support in how until the bitter end she had always cared for him and would be there — even as only a small part — with him for the time being, until a so fatidical day arrived again…

He fully closed the tank she would forever rest and took nail in hand. Turning to the close pool of acidic water, the pill bug could see the bell of one Monomon’s many fantastic creations, Uumuu.

 Knowing the creature had the capability of profound thought, Quirrel had one request for it. “Please, protect madam until the day I come back. Don’t let no one into her chamber”.

Uumuu’s bell bounced a little, as to let Quirrel know it, with no doubt, would look after the teacher as long it was needed. Now relieved, the pill bug knew it was time to depart.

           With no Monomon nor prince, he had nothing left to do in Hallownest anymore and left for Howling Cliffs, limit which marked the end of the kingdom’s perimeter and lands unknown for most of Hallownest’s bugs.

          Some said you would lose your precious mind if you were to leave, but in truth there were the inhabitants who came from these far lands, totally sane and with stories to count. Perhaps one day Quirrel himself would be one of these bugs…

          Holding only into the mask and trusty nail, he went against the wild roaring winds, disappearing to never be seen, his memories vanishing into the air.


	13. Chapter 13

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This was done way ago and being honest IDK why I didn't post if before (oops I guess).  
> Long note at the end  
> Also: Thanks for reading up to this point in advance <3 You guys are the best and I'd have never done this w/o your support  
> Almost unrelated note: Guess who likes final fantasy and used it as emotional support to make this thing?!

Many times had the pill bug heard of a far kingdom full of wonders, where promises and dreams come true, one land so full of wonders but so of threats, one land which name corresponded to _Hallownest_. 

          Countless bugs pursued the place for thrills, treasures and fame, but something else about it had called the pill bug. Perhaps its marvels?... No, it was not quite right… There was something _more_ , something beyond sheer curiosity, a drive.

          Always on his dreams he saw the same: winding roads, misted caverns, drowning cities… But what attracted his attention the most, was a door. Marks all around, and beyond something calling… something bound.

          Never would the pill bug thought he would be able to see it with his own eyes, but there he was, after a long path of dangers and the meeting with a protector clad in red of these ruined land, his hand was now trailing over the carved curves and lines of that great stone egg, so warm to his touch… Drawn forwards it and yet repelled. It misted his mind, yet it all felt so familiar…

          He pondered, could it be opened? If these doors were to unlock, could it reveal what he sought? What had brought him here? When he closed his eyes, he could almost see it… something, or rather, _someone_ deep inside…His train of thoughts was interrupted when he became aware of a new presence, not from within the door, but from his side, although the energy felt almost the same.

          The pill bug immediately turned; he saw nothing at first but then realized it was due to the newcomer being too short. When his eyes met with theirs, something about them made that feeling of familiarity only increase, it felt like someone he used to know, someone who had brought warmth upon his life, someone he cherished deeply and yet all memories were now distant, almost if it had been a dream all along…

          “Hello there! How delightful to meet another traveler on these forgotten roads”, he begun with a smile, still unable to shake off these thoughts of his mind, the more he gazed to the bug, the more they remind them of someone he couldn’t quite name; but deep down he knew, just as this creature upon him, they had an air of mystery and toughness, a protector perhaps?  “You're a short one, but you've a strong look about you” — he pointed out — “I'm Quirrel. I have something of an obsession with uncharted places”.  

          Regardless how quiet his newfound companion, he was unable to stop talking with the little fellow, their silent didn’t feel indifferent, but welcoming. How strange… But the oddity of the events didn’t end there.

          In the course of his adventure through these lands of wonder, facts he had never acknowledged popped into his mind: a colossal slug worshiped as a deity that rested deep within a lake, the ringing of stag station bells, the hordes of traveling bugs, old knowledge of the crystals and soul within the city dweller, between these, a bearded old nailsmith residing in a great city he found himself unable to go into but wasn’t quite able to place his finger on the reason, and yet, he so desired to visit where all its water came from… Never had he been in none of these places — that he remembered — and yet he could almost see them on his head…

          Even more strange it had been for him to blurt all that information out to the small bug he had met at the temple of the black egg, they had never asked for it, but neither did they look ungrateful for the advice, even, the fondness Quirrel had grown for them seemed to be mutual for the pill bug’s luck.

          Wherever he went, soon the bug would show up. Had it been fate or a mere coincidence for their paths to cross? Anyhow the answer, by choice they have decided to stick together even when only briefly, it had been more than enough to grow attached to the little fellow.

          They had good moments, such as sharing a bench while watching the rain fall over the city of tears, one right next to the other, the small bug had even fallen asleep on him that time, of course, the little one must had been exhausted, thus, he resigned to the fate of being a living pillow momentarily. It wasn’t like he didn’t enjoy the sight anyways: from both, the drowning citadel and his sleeping friend. What a cute gal… Even though they had proven to be mischievous too.

          Quirrel would have never expected to suddenly be splashed by a cannon ball while taking a break at the hot springs, even less that the curious little bug would purposely splash him by using their nail. He had taken it light-heartedly, they were just enjoying themselves and having fun, plus, being fair, the pill bug returned the gesture.

          They have had their good laughs, ups and downs, it wasn’t a surprise for Quirrel they had lived through all that perilous journey as they had proven his intuition right: albeit small, they were fierce and strong enough to fend for themselves and even others. 

          Neither was it a surprise for the pill bug to realize — after a time — his heart pounded quicker whenever their small partner met him. He had to say he felt concerned whenever it had already been a while subsequently had seen them for last time: it was like something inside his head told him something would go wrong, and something even deeper, hidden into his skull, made him think he had lived something of the likes before…

          One way or another, Quirrel showed his concern, just as his partner in adventure did even with only their stoic silence. He had to say, he enjoyed it, but whenever he saw through these hollow, pitch-black, eyes, he couldn't help but think he was seeing _someone else_ and not the small bug...

          Perhaps it was what discouraged him to try to have something with the cute little fellow, but whatever the case, it might had been for the better as one day his friend whom he had grown a little bit more than fond of presented with a child of their own in arms.

          They were pretty charming and lovable even on their stoic demeanour, of course he won’t be the only one whom had fallen under their spells; but either with him, or with another man, his friend seemed happy and Quirrel was glad for them.

          In addition, their kid was a sweet nymph who enjoyed having a good laugh and be pampered by any bug, the pill bug included. Its parent must be such one lucky man to have Ghost by his side and building an affectionate family with them.

          At heart, he knew it was for the best; as long the other bug cared and loved Ghost as much as he had done or even more. There were still things left for the pill bug to do before settling down with someone he cherished, as learning the truth behind the images on his head.  

          The questions were always lingering on his mind: how could he be aware of such antique information? Why would he feel this closeness whenever he met the small bug even back when they had just crossed paths for first time? Why every time he looked at them be if he was looking at someone else? Someone his heart could remember and even his hide, but his head did not, a memory that was too real to be deemed only a dream but prevailed fogged still…

          Question after question, screaming to be answered, wishing not to be kept as another mystery of these ruined lands, and none seemed to make sense until their paths crossed once again in a mystic building atop an acid lake.

          It beckoned him, but it wasn’t quite as what had driven him towards the temple, no… It was quite different in some way, he could almost hear a faint female voice. Something stirred in his mind, though he couldn't yet tell what.

          Deciding to head in, blurred memories of the past struck him. He recalled had been here albeit it felt like eons ago, yet, he was able to remember as clear as water a lady of astonishing beauty residing in this place among her creations — the jellies — and dreadful bodies of acid water, his teacher, the dreamer Monomon. The sole reminiscence brought him close to tears, but there was no time for dueling it, as along memories of his beloved madam so came of Uumuu, the guardian of the archives. 

          Quirrel arrived not long after the little knight had started a fight with the jelly, they fiercely struck their bell with no avail, their nail only bounced off the monstrous creature at best. In what a bad situation the small fellow had gotten into.

          “Friend, back off!”, called the pill bug for Ghost arriving at the scene.

          They seemed surprised, perhaps they didn’t expect he would help, but if he didn’t, what kind of friend would he be? Ghost jumped to the wall and slid down until they were to reach the student’s side with another hop.

          Although with nail at hand, Quirrel hoped there was no need in using it, he was optimist Uumuu could recognize him and they could stop this senseless fight. But that didn’t happen. The creature seemed out its mind with a brighter core of what the student remembered, attacking outrageously anything that came close enough, giving the pill bug no choice but to strike back.

          He tried to make it the less hurtful possible, only puncturing with his nail the membrane and leaving the rest to his friend, whom in question of only seconds dispatched the jelly with their strongest spells. Perhaps it hadn’t been as merciful as Quirrel would have wanted, but it had been quick without a doubt, at least he was grateful for that.

          When Uumuu’s remains flopped down, the knight was already waiting for Quirrel at the entrance of the next chamber.

          “I shall catch up with you shortly, friend. Please, head on”.

          Ghost didn’t question his motives, whatever they were, they knew Quirrel must had a good reason. They went on, leaving the student with the remains of the archive’s protector.

          He placed a hand over its wounded bell. “You did a fine work, my fellow. May you find rest as your duty has finally come to an end”, he whispered to his comrade.

          Perchance his senses could be deceiving him, or maybe it could be only a case of rigor mortis, but he could had sworn when its bell deflated was almost as a sigh of relief with which it could finally leave all worldly worries behind.  

          Moving on to the next chamber where his friend was waiting, so was his madam. Ghost must had been pondering why it seemed like she was missing about half of her body, so Quirrel explained a concise version of what he remembered, holding up his teacher’s mask to undo the protection she had cast upon herself once a major part of the explanation was done.

          Shortly afterwards the dreamer reformed, a sudden exhaustion overpowered him, Ghost rushed to his side, worried, but both bugs knew the little knight had a task to accomplish. After Quirrel’s words of relief, his friend turned back to see the dreamer, drawing a shining nail.

          With a thud, Ghost fell to the floor. Quirrel knew of the legends of moths whom used tools much as his friend’s, tools that erased the line between the physic and dream realms, and, he was well aware of what came next, twice in his life he would lose the lady he had most loved.

          Howbeit the missing memories had just been refreshed anew, it didn’t make the pain any less, as back then, he wanted to stay at her side to the bitter end, refusing to leave her again. Hopefully, the heartache would cease alike madam’s body and life within the blink of light.

          The knight woke up afterwards, looking a little weak or perhaps shaken but regaining strength rapidly to stand on their feet once more, as soon they were good to go, they rushed to Quirrel’s side immediately.

          Through their stolid face Quirrel could see their concern, but he knew better, his friend had duties with this ruined kingdom to accomplish and they could not be left aside for a simple bug much as him. The pill bug kindly reminded the knight of this, noting, too, how he craved for a little time to rest due to the weight of all these years creeping back to him.

          A feeling of déjà vu kept growing stronger now than ever, he knew he had thought something of the likes time ago, almost as if it had been in another life…

          Quirrel lifted up his gaze to see Ghost just once more as they turned to leave, there was a something on their eyes, concern, perhaps? He could recall a familiar look, but there was an element still missing for it to be the same… 

          However, there was more to it. Not only was it a factor gone missing, but someone all this long he hadn’t been able to recall, and the answer seemed so close and yet so far. No matter how hard he tried remembering whom it was, nothing popped into mind.

          Until it did.

          It had been so unexpected, much as when they first met. He could remember it as clearly as water of the lake he stared... Blue lake, when it all had started.

          Once the mysterious lagoon had brought them upon his life and now it did twice. Reminiscences of them and all the times they would meet flowed to his mind as the liquid did down to the city bellow much in fashion as how his tears fell into the lake, nonstop; the only sound besides the dripping sound was his sobs. And as the water washed over the shore, his sorrow did over his now recovered memory.

          How funny... only few moments ago had he thought about the bliss behind not remembering nothing at all, but as he had told to little Ghost before they departed to royal waterways, Hallownest was a rather intriguing place which worked on many mysterious ways, but this had been such a cruel joke of fate.

          Who could have guessed? All it took to trigger his memories back had been one instinctive leap to the place at youth he had cherished the most and few choices of words to flatter his friend's distinctive traits. Traits which they shared with his beloved prince...

          How dumb had it been from his part to have mistaken both knights. Unique and special in their own way, it was not fair for his prince nor was it for little Ghost to have — even though unconscious — done such mistake.  He should had realized it earlier, as besides stoic looks and brave demeanour, he had grown to know them up to the point he could tell they were plenty different.

          He felt sorry beyond words at his fault, but no matter how agonizing was it, nothing was more anguishing than the tremendous heartache within his shell, one he couldn't quite explain, as the sources were too many to take in.  

          Not only was it for reviving all the pain from the past in one, single and hurtful, blow, but guilt as well. Guilt over forgetting about the people he has cherished the most, mixed with impotence to had been unable to save them…

          Monomon had been slayed and his beloved prince would as well, but truthfully, by now, it would be only their infection-filled body, as his sweetheart’s mind seemed long gone and regardless the proofs, the pill bug still feared there was something that remained from them as it was only more devastating such an horrid thought.

          Quirrel couldn't even begin to imagine the pain his beloved must had endured through all these years: imprisoned, the infection slowly eating them away, all alone, unable to see their family, screaming in silent for help, longing for the sweet release of death to cease all that pain... and remembering all events that had led up to that point as the old light drove them insane…

          If only he had known sooner, could he had done something to prevent it? To free them? Would there still be a way to avoid this cursed fate? _To be together again?..._

          All signs pointed out otherwise. This had been fate, unable to be changed from the start. Monomon had known it and so did the Prince. Nothing could have ever changed it, not Quirrel nor any higher being, no matter how hard they had tried nor how much he wished for it, dreams and fantasies solely made it worst. Only thing that was left was to go with fate’s plan, just as how the waves of the lake went along the tides.

          Quirrel dragged himself closer to the lake, lazily, devoid of will, and stared at his own reflection as he stuck his legs in, realizing he was all alone.

          Not a single soul besides him, Monomon was gone, so was his prince, little Ghost would be sealed away to take their sibling’s place and never be seen once their mission was done. Only thing that kept him company was the constant reminder of his soon death; voices had begun to plague his mind, it was just question of time before that dreadful light overpowered his body.

          Truly, there was nothing at these heights no one could do. Except for speeding up what was regardless bound to happen…

          As the tranquil waves of the lake washed over his legs, he deemed that he wanted to go along the tides as well; he wished to do what long ago he had not been able: to follow his cherished teacher and knight.

          There was nothing he was leaving behind; he had seen this mystique kingdom twice, his mission in aiding lady Momomon had been accomplished, and if he did what he had in mind, soon they would meet once again. If he put it like that… it was not that bad.

          Soon he felt the welcoming embrace of the lake — which, somehow, remind him much to his teacher’s — and what little was left of his bluish mood dispelled as everything around him turned the same colour as the body of water’s.

          Tears turned one with the small bubbles surrounding him and his sobbing went quiet as the water filled his lungs. His vision began fading and turning to black as he gave what felt like finally his last breathes, and, before completely blacking out, on his moribund sight, he could see one familiar hand the same colour as the void reaching out for him.

          With the little strength he had left, and with a smile, Quirrel held onto his knight's hand.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I used to drown bugs when I was young... I guess I haven't changed that much (except they're fictional this time, good for the poor little fellows).
> 
> Now, for some side-notes...  
> 1\. I'm a lil' sh*t for saying I'd change this and rolling with how I had planned it since the beginning (I wrote an alternate better ending but turns out I suck at endings, haha, sorry , I really never finish my stuff).  
> 2\. Did I roll with the "Quirrel killed himself?" Dunno, you tell me. But IF I did... I saw no reason why would he kill himself "UNLESS...", y'know, infection... or something of the likes (I can ramble about crazy theories, but not here).  
> 2.1. My uncle (R.I.P) who almost drowned indirectly helped me with this.


	14. Chapter 14

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> That's it, alt better ending.

Only was there silence, and yet, they could hear voices within their head; darkness and nothingness were all their eyes could see even though light burned their sight, blinding them from seeing hope and leaving only despair. It was nothing out of their (now) usual life, as their body hanged numb so did their perception of time, if they ever had one. But then, somehow, it all changed.

          It began as a fever dream, or an experience of the likes, no longer could the knight distinguish reality out their own mind, they were not in a state of awareness nor one of entire oblivion, the vermilion substance burned them inside-out, rushing throughout their emotionless body, as they thought of screaming at top of their infection-filled lungs no sound would be made, nonetheless, it wasn’t as if it had ever mattered, they were without reason as no one was there to listen to their silent cries of agony and aid them out their suffering.

          If only there was someone… a single soul at the very least, one that could help the pain disappear…

          Images flooded their hollow skull, they could see a blurry silhouette growing clearer: slender legs and arms they craved to caress, hands they would like to hold tightly around a nail, a shell of one colour that made their heart skip a beat, and a breath-taking pale face they so wished to gently stroke and embrace close to their chest. The fantasizing leaded them to begin to purr on their trance, calling the attention of the goddess within their head.  

          "Such a beautiful dream, to meet with your beloved", she said in a tone as soft as her fur and smoother than silk. The vessel could almost feel one of the goddess’s wings caressing them under their chin, although was it nothing but the infection beginning to ooze out their eye sockets and drip its way down their neck. "Wouldn't it be a wish become truth if it were to happen, honey?".

          They were tempted to say yes as fogged memories clouded their mind and better judgement, but they knew her tricks, it was but a cheap tactic the goddess was using to persuade them into giving up their role as her personal prison by showing them wild, deep, buried wishes that only would themselves — and now her — know, with fake promises of being capable to make them all come truth. No one had the power to accomplish such a feat, no goddess nor other deity, and even if there was, they were just not worth it, after all, they were purely a failure.  

          Certainly, a negative response was not what the goddess had been looking forwards. She had now the upper hand as the vessel’s body was slowly being corrupted, sooner than later will fate be for her to break free, and yet, they refused to desert the duty bestowed upon them by the king, still expecting to fulfill such an irrational role to make a dead man proud (hypothesizing he was able of such thing, that is). How foolish.

           “Poor little mindless thing, unable to make a right decision until the end. Unarguably worth of the proclaims about possessing no mind, what a great shame”.

          However, the vessel questioned not their decision. Their beloved was dead, so had their father said, and they trusted into his word; there was no vacancy for uncertainty after all he had done for such a failure as themselves, that was the least they could do: to take his word and fulfill their role no doubt, or so they thought, until inquiries began to arose.

          Even with infection overcoming their senses, far — but not further from where cruel fate would have led him if death had truly taken his life — at the very entrance of the temple, could they feel a familiar presence beyond the enclosure, one that only on their dreams had they been able to sense something of the likes again.  The pill bug’s hand right above the carved stone, a gentle touch the mindless creature within the temple yearned for, making them writhe and struggle within their boundaries in attempts to break free from these cursed chains and have these caresses for their own.

         _…Do not speak…_

          But there was someone else out there, someone… much like themselves… They huffed and struggled within their boundaries even more than before, not even knowing why nor what were they doing, they just know they wanted to leave, to scream they were here and still alive, kick the stone, punch it, do whatever it took!

          A laugh resonated on their head. “Jealous, honey?”, she asked in singing tune, clearly enjoying the vessel’s torment.

          _…Do not hope…_

          How irremediably foolish, even if the chains were to break, the walls wouldn’t budge no matter what they did. Only was it more laughable for the mere thought to ever cross their mind but the goddess rejoiced on their idiocy as the more they wished for such senseless dreams, the more power she had over the vessel, and the more control she had, the sooner would she break loose and bathe Hallownest with her light.

          “Free me, dear. You can get whichever, or in all cases” — she remarked in rather suggestive tone — “ _whomever_ , your little obscure heart desires”.

          They felt dirty from only hearing her, how repulsive… but words struck them like one of Dryya’s hits. She had been into their mind! She knew their weakness, deep buried desires, their memories… it had only been an illusion of hers all along, and truly, their beloved was gone, this was nothing but another cruel trick much as the ones she had done before.

          Calmed once again, the vessel shook their head no. They won’t give in… not just yet, not for such vile tricks.

          “Oh, sweetie… _You will regret it_ ”, her sugary tone suddenly changed with her threat.

          The hollow knight sighed. So be it. They wouldn’t let her. They would fight until the last bit of their mind had been corrupted, until there was no more darkness and their body had been burned inside-out with her light… They might had been unable to save many lives in the past, but they would attempt their best at the present for no more innocent souls meet the same cruel demise.

          However, their struggles were worthless. With each passing second the infection consumed more of them, light irradiated from their body as mist and vines, as vermillion liquid-filled sacks, as cracks on their hide, as thoughts, dreams, wishes they wanted to see fulfilled (and deep down they know none of them would).

         _Do not think, do not think, do not think…_

         “Stop telling yourself such a lie. Are you not doing all of this because of that? _A_ _dream?_ To be free, to see your precious little father’s kingdom safe? To fulfil your word to _the king?_ Your own petty, unreasonable, wish _to make him proud?!_ ”, the goddess highlighted her words, knowing exactly where and how to strike them.

         _…Father…_

         He left them, but all had been fault of their own. If they could make it out for him… Maybe he would come back and get them out from here, maybe things could be different, better, maybe…

         _…Do not…_

         “How dumb can you get?! The Wyrm will not ever come!”. She hated it every time they thought about him. “These lands need a rightful ruler. Allow me to break free, and I will do your so beloved kingdom justice”.

         The knight shook their head, the people of Hallownest would only end up like… _him_ … like themselves if they were to give up, and the vessel didn’t wish such fate for no one, but wishes were a bad thing to have…

         _Shall blaze free…_

         They thought they could keep it sealed. Weren’t they so wrong? Seals began to vanish, and with each, a little of the hollow knight’s mind too. Herrah, Lurien… Monomon… They were no more, and themselves were soon to follow.

         On their misted mind, beyond those infection infested walls, they could hear steps, the usurper had arrived to take their place, to suffocate their light.

         _...No mind, the usurper...Only strength..._

         Out of pure rage, infection quicker flowed through their veins. They didn’t want it; they didn’t want them! What made it think it was so special?! It was no better than them!

         _…Kill…_

         They wanted to slash the usurper, cut them to pieces, tear them apart limb by limb, crack its little skull with their own bare hand, leave nothing behind, make them suffer as they had!

_...Dawn… Shall break…_

         Break them! Make them fail as they did!

         _…Kill the usurper…_

         Steps were heard getting closer, the time was up for them, and the knight deep down, buried within the light, rage and shades knew it. At the very least they would finally be free, at peace, suffering any longer…

         At least, even if they didn’t deserve it for being such an immense failure, for not even being able to keep their vows, for had unsuccessfully protected their beloved ones… they would be with their sweetheart…

         The entrance to the temple had been opened, a figure stood with nail drawn out.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Nah, not really. I just thought there was a something missing and here it is.   
> I'll be adding actual better ending later (hopefully).


	15. Reunion at Blue Lake

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'M DONE! I'M FINALLY FREE!!!!!  
> Sorry for this being bad! (good endings are not my thing, endings are not my thing in general) and for long wait I must admit I got busy with school and other personal projects *cough*andfanfics*cough*I'msosorry;A; BUT HERE IT IS! *slams this s-....tuff into the desk*

There was a pressure at Quirrel's chest, it continued to grow stronger the longer it took for him to make any reaction but lightening once he could feel his body beginning to twitch and eventually be brought back to his senses, they were yet to readjust when he was pulled into a tight embrace that made him forget about the pain he was going through.

          Slender arms held him tight against a cold hide. It was too familiar… Though the idea seemed too impossible unless he had really died, he wanted to believe it was… _them_.  

          "P-prince?", he asked after what felt like forever, weakly and unsure with water still burning his throat and unwantedly leaking out his mouth; he was barely able to open his eyes.

          After pronouncing said words, the embrace was tightened. As he recovered his vision, along the stars, he could see blurs of dark colours: there was a wet cloak against his face sported by one tall bug along a mask so pale, but despite all familiarities, he knew it… was not them…

          “Ghost?”, he replanted and coughed water a little more.

          The little one had grown taller all of sudden, but he could recognize them. His suspicions were only cleared further when a small winged ball of worriedness shoot itself from its parent figure’s neck towards Quirrel’s with a distinctive “ _Pyah_ ”.

          Ghost nodded yes at the pill bug’s supposition as the child curled around Quirrel’s shoulders and vigorously rubbed his cheek against the student’s in attempt to dry him off and return some heat to his gelid, humid, body; it was evident the nymph felt uncomfortable with the water against his skin,  but so that he cared more about accomplishing his deed while he anxiously purred. 

          Quirrel only moved a hand to pat a little the child in a lame, feeble, manner and kept to perplexedly look at the now not-so-small vessel; shortly, forcing himself to talk a bit again. "What happened to y-...?".

          "Long story", another familiar voice replied, whose owner was none other than the defender of those ruined lands that he had first encountered when entering the kingdom. "However, I assume we should be the ones asking _you_ such. You almost drowned yourself! What were you attempting to accomplish?!".

          Quirrel looked down, ashamed of himself; the damage the water had done hurt like hell, but no more than the guilt he had over made them worry. He hadn’t expected things to take such a turn and, perhaps, now that he questioned himself with a clearer mind, it had been sort of a _really_ bad idea.

          "Do not even answer", she said before having a proper reply.

          As a matter of fact, it was likely he wouldn’t be having the answer to that question anytime soon, but there were still many other on his mind. “May I, at the very least, know how did you…?”.

          “Find you?”, she completed the phrase, seeming like every second she grew more impatient about a subject Quirrel wasn’t sure of. “Our sibling guided us here. They sought to be the one saving you, however we managed to persuade them against it since it would prove rather imprudent due to their… _current state_ ”.

          The pill bug seemed even further puzzled. Surely the familiarity between the two bugs, Hornet and Ghost, was striking, but it couldn’t have occurred to him before they were related, even less they were siblings. Though he was more worried of what could the spider mean by _“current state”_ , was there something wrong with Ghost? Regardless the case, Hallownest’s protector cut out his train of thoughts.

          “And speaking of which…”. Hornet turned to look at the vessel. "Ghost, assure the teacher’s pupil doesn’t commit another stupidity! I shall provide support for our sibling’s safe arrival with… the father of the child", she said narrowing her eyes at the last words as in displeasure. With no more to say, she exited the scene swinging on spider web.

          Under other circumstances, Quirrel would have felt downhearted at the statement about his own lack of well judgement, no matter how truthful it was, but he knew that it had been one grave mistake to jump into the lake, not to mention he was further intrigued as to whom this kind stranger — apparently sibling to both other bugs— was.

          All of sudden, before it could give time for the student to make any question at Ghost, Grimmchild chirruped — interrupting the pill bug’s thinking —  letting go of Quirrel to make his way towards the entrance of resting grounds; such outburst called both older insects’ attention, provoking them to shift their gazes at where the nymph went to. Steps were heard and the troupe master made his entrance carrying the infant at his shoulders and small bundle of textiles at his hands.

          "My dearest", he greeted Ghost by pecking their cheek, which they replied with a soundless giggle; then, he faced Quirrel. ”Friend", he spared the cloth to the pill bug.

          Uneasy, Quirrel took the kind offering and quietly thanked the scarlet flame, he simply chuckled as the pill bug attempted to dry off.

          "By the way, pardon my delay”, Grimm apologized with a graceful bow, confusing Quirrel more than what he already was, why would he be asking forgiveness for? Though the troupe master was soon to explain himself. “I couldn't bear to see my dear brother-in-law meet with their sweetheart after so long wearing such dirty rags", he said with a smug jack-o’-lantern grin, directing the student’s gaze with his own at where he had arrived from.

          Before Quirrel could say anything else, or even for the ideas within his brain could connect, he heard Hornet’s yells not too far away.

          "Wait! I'm not done with you just yet! Hollow-...!".

          Quirrel's eyes opened widely at the border of tears as — in shock— he slowly lowered his hand; his heart skipped a beat or two and soon afterwards begun to rush, pumping blood up his cheeks and yet he felt like lacking oxygen as his sight laid upon slender long legs, a single hand loosely hanging onto a long nail, torso covered by a pure white cloak, and finally, these beautiful pools of void he so cherished, his prince’s eyes; or rather merely one, as the other had been covered with bandages, but even that was better than not seeing them at all.

          At their own side, the knight was overwhelmed, they had too many things on their head to process. For all that was holy, they were freely thinking to start with! But that didn’t seem like something nice for them, as they had only space for worst case scenarios, even when it appeared they were finally unbounded of all restraints holding them back in the past, they were worried.

          What would Quirrel think of them now? What if their father was somewhere out there and somehow learned of all this? They feared for their reaction, they feared for the cursed mantra they had lived by never leave their mind, but, over all these, what they feared the most, was being another of the goddess' illusions, for her apparent death at the claws of their sibling have been but an act and they were still trapped within the temple’s walls.

          “If the case was such, I wouldn’t even be here, friend”, the troupe master commented in attempt to relieve them, as if he could hear the vessel’s thoughts, which — probably — he could.

          “Don’t you just stand there. Go”, Hornet said calm and somehow sweetly as she comforted the hollow knight with a little pat at their back, careful to not be too rough due to the injuries at the vessel’s back.

           Next, the formerly presumed perfect vessel turned to see to their other sibling, whom on their part cheered them with an imperceptible smile at their eyes such as their very own.

          Although still nervous, the knight stepped forwards only to take two back and then fall when something, or rather someone, pounced at them top speed.

          Quirrel looked up at them as he squeezed them closer, smiling widely like the huge dork he was between tears. “I’m sorry, I just could not wait any longer, love”.

          With such stimulations, the knight couldn’t hold back their tears no more, to hell if they let go of them! Radiance was finally gone for good and their father — even if he was alive — would have no way to know. Guilt free as they could be even for a small lapsus, the vessel returned the embrace the best they could with their single arm, a sheepish smile reflected on their eyes.

          Hornet winced. “For the love of Herrah, get a room, you two!”, she hissed and looked away only to see the troupe master’s smug grin.

          “Admit it, you’re happy for them”, his tone somewhat mocking.

          “Of course I am! It’s just… So sickeningly sweet!”. 

          Grimm sighed dreamingly as he held onto Ghost's hand. “Ah, someday you shall learn the wonders of being in love, dearest sister-in-law”, he said giving a gentle tug to his beloved. "As for now…” — he looked at the lovebirds, crying as they embraced each other — “we should give them some alone time”.  

          "Well about time you said something rational!", she said taking the lead, but before storming out, discreetly eyeing over her shoulder, genuinely smiling at her sibling’s happiness.

          The other two followed closely, leaving the love birds behind.

          Tears overflowed and poured down the vessel’s cheeks, falling upon the smaller bug’s bandana, soaking it anew although with void rather than water from the lake, but Quirrel minded not, all he cared about on that precise moment was for his sweetheart to be alive onto his arms.

          The vessel was considerably thinner, and although had been sealed away for so many years, the markings of their close to death experiences have changed not one bit and even were there new ones; Quirrel’s smile dropped as he gently placed his hands over few of them and looked at the knight on the eye. He cupped the knight's cheek with a hand, his thumb carefully stroking their face.

          In reply, the vessel leaned into the touch, placing their sole hand above their beloved's. After so much time their hide had grown hungry for contact with another being, for affection. Even such a simple touch felt like enough to ease the pain, but regardless the ache now gone, there was something off.

          While seemingly unchanged, and keeping the very same darkness they had when they met once so long ago, Quirrel couldn't help but see the image that plagued his dreams: a vermillion light within them even when there was nothing; only the same void as ever staring at him, yet his worries and guilt lingered, their injuries were one sad sight to behold.

          “I… I’m sorry”, Quirrel muttered, voice breaking. “I couldn’t-… I should have-…”.

          Letting go of their beloved’s hand, the knight held him tight by the shoulder and sides, taking aid in their legs around the pill bug’s torso; while they hated to interrupt their dearest’s sweet voice, they disliked to hear him ache over something that had never been his fault even further.

          Squeezing him, the vessel shook their head desperately, they knew what Quirrel was thinking, and they wished not for his mind to be distressed by such an atrocious idea. If it had been anyone’s fault it had been but their own.

          If they had been stronger… If they had been more capable… _if they had been a real knight_ , maybe none of this would had ever happened, tragedy wouldn’t have to be repeated twice, no one would have had to go through all that pain again, and…

          Overflowing tears reduced the knight to a mere mess, what a joke of a cavalier they were. Much as themselves and their father, probably Quirrel thought they were not worth it, they were no defender, nor hero, they were only a failure, a mistake.

          The knight felt both his sweetheart’s hands at their cheeks and how his beloved gently pulled him down to kiss their forehead. They were confused, Quirrel was not supposed to be the one comforting them! The vessel that had been made to serve; it should be the other way around!

          But Quirrel knew otherwise, they both needed it.

          “It’s alright”, he cooed rubbing their foreheads together and hugging the vessel tight.

          His voice always managed to calm them…

          Slowly, the tears stopped, and the knight returned the loving gesture while a quiet purr resounded within their throat. After all these problems, they couldn’t believe the pill bug was so understanding, but of course, it was Quirrel.

          But not just him, too, their siblings, seemed to have forgiven them… Hornet, with the lost of her mother to seal them away helped them regardless, and Ghosts… even when they left the smaller vessel behind to fulfil these hollow wishes of their own, didn’t hold any grudge and it seemed it had been their idea to save them from what once appeared as their endless suffering on the first place…

           Maybe it was really alright…

          Quirrel could see it at their eyes, deep down the vessel, too, was aware that all bad dreams had finally ended. They wouldn’t be but a distant memory from now on…

          The pill bug slid down his hands to the vessel’s shoulders and smiled at their beloved. “Are you feeling better, love?”.

          The taller bug took one of his hands and nodded, rubbing his cheek against his sweetheart’s palm.

          Quirrel giggled and planted another kiss at their forehead.

          The vessel mimicked a sound of the likes and did just the same, both laughed much as they used to, how nostalgic…

          Quirrel moved to sit down next to the tall bug, leaning against their shoulder — the other nuzzling them with their snout as if welcoming the gesture — then rested his hand above theirs as they gazed upon the wide blue lake as in olden times.   

          Many things — for good or for bad — were so different now that the kingdom they once lived was long gone, but there were few things that through the years haven’t changed.

          The taller bug’s cute demonstrations of affection hadn’t changed.

          The way the pill bug would look at them in awe haven’t changed.

          The lake that had brought them together hadn’t changed, and thought they did change, like the wide blue body of water before them, neither had the deep love for one another have changed.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I dunno how you've made it this long, but thanks so much for reading! ♡  
> Finally is finished, and I hope you had liked!
> 
> Again, I must thanks everyone for making it this far with me and keep me going! (I'm one lazy mofo, but a grateful lazy mofo!) ´♡`) ❀❀❀ and special thanks to all who commented (I love to read your feedback!) and Yogurt_Tea (Bless♡) as being completely honest, I never thought I'd even post this until I met her!  
> Thanks you all so much! ♡♡♡♡
> 
> Also, something I forgot to include: "AND THEN THEY FUCKED!"  
> Okay, now I'm really done!   
> Thanks for sticking around! ♡♡♡ Bun out!


End file.
